Signs and symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia symptoms may be vague and resemble other common illnesses. Symptoms can include fatigue, fever, weight loss, headaches, and more. These can occur due to low counts of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells called myeloblasts.

Many AML symptoms occur due to blood cell shortage, as leukemia cells crowd out healthy blood cells and prevent their production.

This article discusses common signs and symptoms of AML. It also looks at treatment options for AML.

General symptoms of AML can include:

AML cancer cells, or “blasts,” are bigger than normal white blood cells, which makes it harder for them to pass through tiny blood vessels. This also prevents other blood cells from reaching tissues.

Overcrowding the bone marrow also disrupts blood cell formation (hematopoiesis), leading to low blood cell count.

This may cause a person with AML to experience vague, nonspecific symptoms that are common to other less serious conditions, such as the flu.

Learn more about AML.

Overcrowded bone marrow can result in a low white blood cell count, or neutropenia. Reduced neutrophils, a white blood cell that acts as the immune system’s first line of defense, can lead to infections.

Fever may accompany frequent infections.

Platelets help make blood clots, which slow or stop bleeding and promote wound healing. A low platelet count, or thrombocytopenia, can lead to:

Blasts are larger than normal white blood cells. If their count gets high, they can clog up blood vessels, making it hard for RBCs to deliver oxygen to tissues. This may cause a rare medical emergency called leukostasis.

This is a life threatening medical emergency that causes a range of symptoms when the heart, lungs, and brain are affected. These include:

There are various possible treatments for AML. The following factors may affect the choice of treatment:

A person may require chemotherapy. Doctors may use a combination of chemotherapy drugs, such as cytarabine, and an anthracycline drug, such as daunorubicin.

Doctors may give chemotherapy in phases to try to induce complete remission:

If leukemia cells are present in the nervous system, doctors administer intrathecal chemotherapy, which involves injecting drugs directly into the spinal fluid.

Learn more about chemotherapy and AML.

Doctors can use stem cell transplants or bone marrow transplants to give people with AML higher doses of chemotherapy. A person typically undergoes a transplant during the consolidation phase.

Doctors may also recommend this treatment to those with relapsed or resistant AML after they undergo re-induction chemotherapy.

Learn more about bone marrow transplant for AML.

Doctors may give targeted drugs along with chemotherapy. These drugs treat certain people with AML or those with specific gene mutations.

Targeted drug therapy may also be suitable if AML does not respond to chemotherapy.

Learn more about treatments for AML.

Here are some frequently asked questions about AML.

Early signs of AML may include vague, nonspecific symptoms, such as:

As AML does not form solid tumors and is generally widespread throughout the bloodstream and bone marrow, experts do not stage AML as with most other cancers.

Instead, a person’s outlook with AML depends on their medical status, lab test results, and the AML subtype or classification a person has.

AML can cause vague, nonspecific symptoms that also occur in other conditions, such as the flu. A person might have fatigue, loss of appetite, or a fever.

Symptoms of AML typically develop over a number of weeks. As it is an “acute” type of leukemia, symptoms often develop rapidly.

People with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experience various symptoms as cancer cells crowd the bone marrow, preventing the production of normal blood cells.

Symptoms tend to be nonspecific and can include fatigue, frequent infections, fever, headaches, and shortness of breath.

As AML is an aggressive type of cancer, people with the condition usually need immediate treatment. The type of treatment depends on a person’s overall health status and AML subtype but typically includes chemotherapy.

A person should contact a doctor as soon as they have concerns about AML. The doctor will be able to confirm the cause of their symptoms.

Signs and Symptoms of Acute Hepatic Porphyria

Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) happens when your body doesn't make a substance called heme the way it should. Heme, a part of red blood cells, does a lot of vital things, like carry oxygen throughout your body.

AHP causes a wide range of symptoms that are common to other disorders and may differ among people; doctors may not even test for it as a result.  

Your doctor can help you manage AHP. But you need to know what signs and symptoms to look out for. If left untreated, AHP can be life-threatening.

Your first AHP attack usually won’t show up until after puberty. And it’s more likely to happen if you’re a woman between ages 14 and 45. You may notice that your symptoms are worse during the second half of your menstrual cycle.

It's possible to have more than one attack during your life. During one, your symptoms may get worse over the course of a few days or longer. Without treatment, they may last weeks or months.

AHP can bring a wide range of acute and chronic symptoms that affect the nervous system. They might include:

Serious belly pain. This is the most common symptom. The ache is usually spread out across your whole belly. It may hurt so much that your doctor will likely order blood work and imaging to make sure that there is nothing surgical that needs to be done.

Other stomach problems. You may get nauseated or throw up, and your belly could get really swollen. A blockage in part of your small intestine is also possible.

Muscle aches. Your neck, back, chest, butt, arms, and legs may hurt. Your pain may get worse over several days.

Constipation or diarrhea. You may have trouble pooping. Less often, you may poop too much.

Pee changes. Your urine may look dark or reddish. You could have a hard time peeing.

Numbness or tingling. Nerve damage can give you a “pins and needles” feeling in your arms or feet. 

Weakness or paralysis. AHP can affect the nerves that control your muscles. You may get weakness in your legs, belly, and arms. Without treatment, you may lose the ability to move.

Mood changes. You may get irritated, agitated, or feel like you need to move around. It’s also common to worry a lot or feel depressed and lose interest in activities or get confused. You could also see things that aren’t there or get really paranoid.

Less energy. Chronic fatigue could happen. You could get a really strong urge to sleep. That’s called somnolence. In serious cases, you could go into a coma.

Insomnia. That means you’ll have trouble falling or staying asleep.

Severe weakness. In rare cases, the muscles that control your lungs may stop working, which can affect your breathing. This is life-threatening and requires medical attention right away.

During attacks, you may have:

If you have AHP for a long time, you can get serious conditions like chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), or liver cancer.

If you think you have AHP, see your doctor. There are treatments that can help you manage and prevent attacks, including lifestyle changes and medication. 

WebMD Medical Reference

SOURCES:

Clinical Advances in Hematology & Oncology: “What Hematologists Need to Know About Acute Hepatic Porphyria.”

Journal of the American Heart Association: “Role of Heme in Cardiovascular Physiology and Disease.”

Hepatology Communications: “Acute Hepatic Porphyrias: Review and Recent Progress.”

American Porphyria Foundation: “Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP).”

Merck Manual: “Acute Intermittent Porphyria.”

NIH: Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD): “Acute intermittent porphyria.”

Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology: “Acute Hepatic Porphyria.”

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): “Acute Intermittent Porphyria.”

Best Travel Medical Insurance For Visitors To The USA Of 2024

To identify the best medical insurance for visitors coming to the USA, we scored only comprehensive travel medical plans on the following criteria:

Cost (50% of score): Plans with lower costs were awarded the most points. We analyzed average rates for:

Trip interruption benefits (10% of score): Points were awarded if policies included $10,000 or more in trip interruption benefits. If a visitor has to cut their trip to the U.S. short and return home, this coverage can pay the costs. To make a claim for trip interruption, the reason must be listed in the policy.

Choices of policy maximum coverage amounts (10% of score): Points were awarded if the policy had maximum medical coverage amounts of $500,000 and up.

Urgent care out-of-network reimbursement (10% of score): Policies that cover out-of-network urgent care at 100% (after copay) earned points.

Emergency room out-of-network reimbursement (10% of score):  Policies that cover out-of-network emergency room care at 100% (after copay) earned points.

Emergency dental care (10% of score): Points were awarded if emergency dental care coverage was $300 or more.