Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Treatment Options
There are three types of physicians that treat acute myelogenous leukemia (AML): an oncologist (a doctor that focuses on the study and treatment of cancer); a hematologist (a doctor who studies the disorders of the blood) and a radiation oncologist.
There are two primary goals in the standard of care for AML:
- To achieve complete remission (“CR”), meaning that there is no evidence of the disease.
- To maintain the patient in a state of remission and prevent the recurrence of AML.
Several factors will be taken into consideration when choosing a treatment plan, including age, type of cancer, stage and overall health.
Unfortunately AML becomes harder to treat as people get older. This is for several reasons.
- The ability of older people to cope with the side effects of strong chemotherapy
- The serious infections that may occur when the white count is low during treatment.
- The vulnerability of some organs (kidneys, liver, lungs and heat) to complications of treatment.
- Periods of low blood counts are longer and more frequent.
These problems mean that the outlook for somebody in their 70s with AML is very poor. Their average chance of a cure is only about 1 in 5, compared to 1 in 2 for someone under 50. This figure of 1 in 5 will drop even further if there are other factors present such as illnesses like heart disease and chronic bronchitis, which are more common for the elderly.
Therefore, Specialists may feel that the risks associated with intensive treatment outweigh the possible benefits for many AML patients in the oldest age group
For AML, there are several treatment options available including:
These treatments can also be used in a variety of combinations.
Surgery is only used to remove completely diseased parts of the body that become extremely dangerous to the patient’s health.
Click here for a list of ongoing clinical trials for AML.
Click here for a list of alternative medicine resources for AML
Click here for a list of hospitals/clinics that treat AML
Chemotherapy [Top]
Chemotherapy treatment uses chemical agents to kill leukemia cells.
The patient may receive a single drug or a combination of one or more drugs.
These drugs may come in a pill form, or they may be injected directly into a vein.
60-65% of AML patients with achieve remission with induction therapy after one or two courses.
Post-remission treatment depends on the severity of AML, age, current condition, and each patient’s initial cytogenetic test results
Low-risk AML patients usually received additional courses of chemotherapy for several months in hopes of preventing relapse
Click here for more information regarding chemotherapy treatments for AML.
Click here for a list of clinical trials offered for chemotherapy nationwide.
Click here for a list of clinical trials offered for chemotherapy located in California.
Click here for a list of clinical trials offered for chemotherapy located at the UCLA Medical Center.
Click here for a list of treatment centers.
Stem Cell Transplants [Top]
Stem cells are found in human bone marrow or blood and the umbilical cord
blood of a newborn baby.
Stem cell transplant (SCT) is similar to bone marrow transplant except
the cells are collected from stem cells that circulate in the bloodstream
(peripheral
blood).
The cells used for transplant can be the patient's own healthy cells
(autologous transplant), or they can be collected from a compatible
donor (allogeneic transplant).
SCT is used more frequently than bone marrow transplant because of shortened recovery times and possible decreased risk of infection.
Bone marrow and stem cell transplantation is usually reserved for patients that relapse but is recommended for high-risk AML patients during first remission.
Intermediate-risk patients may receive transplantation or chemotherapy depending upon the specific case
Elder patients usually do not qualify for transplantation and it has been found that conventional chemotherapy courses are not effective
Patients with relapsed AML have an extremely poor prognosis. Most patients should be referred for investigational therapies. Young patients who have not previously undergone transplantation should be referred for such therapy.
The success rate for relapsed AML depends on the duration of remission along with the initial severity of AML development.
Click here for more information regarding stem cell transplants for AML.
Click here for a list of clinical trials for stem cell transplantation nationwide.
Click here for a list of clinical trials for stem cell transplantation located in California.
Click here for a list of clinical trials offered for tem cell transplantation located at the UCLA Medical Center.
Click here for a list of treatment centers.
Radiation [Top]
In the early days of radiotherapy treatment skin burns during treatment and sometimes permanent damage like scarring was common.
This changed during the late 1950s and 1960s as two new types of machines were introduced to give the radiotherapy treatment - Linear Accelerators and Cobalt Units.
Radiation therapy uses X-rays or other high-energy rays to damage leukemia cells and stop their growth
Click here for more information regarding radiation treatments for AML.
Immunotherapy [Top]
Immunotherapy is an area of great promise in treating leukemia, especially
for older persons who do not tolerate aggressive chemotherapy regimens
as well. Antibodies are being created and vaccines are being developed
which attack
leukemic cells.
Click here for a list of clinical trials for immunotherapy offered
nationwide.
Click here for a list of clinical trials for immunotherapy in California
Click here for a list of treatment centers.
Sources [Top]
- MediFocus Guide from Medifocus.com, Inc.
- National Marrow Donor Program, www.marrow.org