Acute Myeloid/Myelogenous Leukaemia (AML)
Author: Dipl.-Biol. Maria Yiallouros, erstellt 2006/04/14, Editor: Dr. med. Ralf Herold, Reviewer: Prof. Dr. med. Ursula Creutzig, English Translation: Dr. med. Gesche Tallen, Last modification: 2011/03/29 doi:10.1591/poh.patinfo.aml.1.20060414 , Kurz-URL: www.kinderkrebsinfo.de/AML
Leukaemias are malignant diseases of the bone marrow. Accounting about 34 % of all malignancies, they are the most common cancers in childhood and adolescence. Whereas the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most frequent type of leukaemia among children and young adults, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) ranks second. It accounts for 4.9% of all malignancies. The following information on acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is intended for patients and their families and should help to explain the characteristics of this disease and the corresponding treatment options.
The acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), also known as acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia, is a malignant disease of the bone marrow. According to data from the German Childhood Cancer Registry in Mainz, about 90 children and adolescents between 0 and 14 years and 110 young patients up to 18 years are newly diagnosed with AML in Germany each year. AML can occur at any age and its incidence increases with age. Among children and adolescents, the highest incidence is seen for infants (up to two years of age). Boys are slightly more prone to be affected by AML than girls. [KAA2008a].
AML is a rapidly progressive disease that can spread throughout the body rapidly. If AML is not appropriately treated, the leukaemic cells will disrupt the normal production and function of blood cells in the bone marrow, damage organs and thus cause fatal physical conditions, that may lead to death within a few weeks or months.
The treatment of AML was considerably improved during the last 30 years. Whereas the disease’s progress could hardly be influenced in the 1960s and 1970s, cure rates of almost 60 % can be achieved today thanks to modern diagnostic methods, standardised treatment concepts including combination chemotherapy, and improved supportive care regimens [KAA2008a].
Explanatory Note Regarding the Text
The text was written based on the bibliography listed below and on the updated guidelines and therapy protocols for treatment of children and adolescents with AML. Further bibliographic information is cited in the text. The text was reviewed by the above-mentioned editors on 10 March 2008 and has been approved for publication on the Internet for the period of two years. It is intended to be revised and updated at the end of this period as the latest.
Basisliteratur 
- Schrappe M, Creutzig U: Akute lymphoblastische (ALL) und akute myeloische (AML) Leukämie im Kindesalter. Interdisziplinäre Leitlinie der Deutschen Krebsgesellschaft und der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Onkologie und Hämatologie. AWMF online 2008 [URI: http://www.awmf.org/uploads/tx_szleitlinien/025-014.pdf]
- Reinhardt D, Ritter J: Klassifikation der Leukämien und malignen Lymphome. In: Gadner H, Gaedicke G, Niemeyer C, Ritter J, editors. Pädiatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer Verlag, 2006, 647 [ISBN: 3540037020
- Creutzig U, Reinhardt D: Akute myeloische Leukämien. In: Gadner H, Gaedicke G, Niemeyer C, Ritter J, editors. Pädiatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer Verlag, 2006, 690-714. [ISBN: 3540037020
- Creutzig U, Zimmermann M, Ritter J, Reinhardt D, Hermann J, Henze G, Jürgens H, Kabisch H, Reiter A, Riehm H, Gadner H, Schellong G: Treatment strategies and long-term results in paediatric patients treated in four consecutive AML-BFM trials. Leukemia 2005, 19: 2030 [PMID: 16304570]
- Henze G: Leukämien, in Gutjahr P: Krebs bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Deutscher Ärzte-Verlag Köln 5. Aufl. 2004, 293 [ISBN: 3769104285
- Creutzig U: Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in children, in Pui CH: Treatment of Acute Leukemias, New Directions for Clinical Research. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press Inc 2003, 237 [ISBN: 0-89603-834-3
Table of contents
[KAA2008a] Kaatsch P, Spix C: Registry - Annual Report 2008 (Jahresbericht 2008 des Deutschen Kinderkrebsregisters). Technischer Bericht, Universität Mainz 2008 [URI: http://www.kinderkrebsregister.de/extern/veroeffentlichungen/jahresberichte/jb2008/index.html]
