Malignant cancers in our minds are closely related to tumors. However, there are dangerous conditions that at the initial stages can not show themselves at all. These include myeloblastic leukemia.
What is acute myeloblastic leukemia?
Acute myeloblastic leukemia( hereinafter ML) is a malignant disease of the hematopoiesis system, characterized by the complexity of recognition and uncontrolled growth / accumulation of hematopoietic cells.
The disease is localized in the peripheral blood, as well as in the bone marrow.
With the development of the disease, malignant cells suppress the growth of healthy, thereby infecting all organs of the human body.
Causes of development of
The exact causes of ML formation are unknown. The scientists managed to find out the factors leading to the active development of the disease. These can be called:
- Preleukoznye pathology of the hematopoiesis system such as myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative syndromes. The risk may increase or decrease depending on the form of the syndrome.
- Chemotherapy in a patient's history. The risk increases if the chemotherapy was performed less than 5 years ago.
- Ionizing radiation.
- Genetic mutations of the fetus, for example, Down syndrome and the like.
- The effect of biological mutagens on the mother's body during pregnancy.
Symptoms of the disease
Myeloblast leukemia does not show signs characteristic of this disease, it can manifest itself with various symptoms depending on the age and form of the disease. Most patients are characterized by an increase in body temperature and a feeling of pain in the bones.
In more than 80% of cases, patients develop anemic syndrome. The patient feels fatigue, skin becomes a pale cyanotic shade, appetite decreases, there is severe shortness of breath.
As decreases platelet levels with , patients experience severe and long bleeding after wounds, unjustified nosebleeds and bruising "on level ground".
As the number of normal leukocytes decreases, the immunity of the patient decreases, which leads to the emergence of infectious diseases and resistance to treatment in chronic. With the development of the disease, the mucous membranes of the mouth and the gastrointestinal tract may be affected, tumescences appear on the gums.
Malignant tumor of myelosarcoma, localized outside the bone marrow, can rarely form from pathological leukemic cells.
Diagnosis
It is impossible to diagnose ML due to symptoms alone, since there are no any characteristic signs.
The disease is identified by analysis and research:
- General and biochemical blood analysis. They reveal an increase / decrease in white blood cells, a decrease in platelets and erythrocytes.
- Microscopy and flow cytometry. To differentiate ML from other blood diseases, specify the type.
- ultrasound for assessing the condition of organs.
- X-ray.
Before the appointment of chemotherapy, the patient is assigned additional tests, for example, urinalysis, Echo and EchoCG.
Treatment
Basic treatment consists of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be combined with basic therapeutic methods, including diet, exercise therapy and blood purification.
Induction therapy includes the administration of cytarabine and an anthracycline antibiotic like daunrabicin. Statistics show that this method allows you to cure slightly less than 70% of patients.
Induction therapy may also include regimens such as:
- FLAG;
- ADE;
- DAT;
- monotherapy with a high dosage of cytarabine;
- new drugs that are being researched;
After reaching a stable remission after induction therapy, doctors proceed to consolidating.
The second stage is mandatory in most cases, because without it the probability of recurrence of the disease is high.
Consolidation therapy may consist of 2-5 courses of additional chemotherapy, allogeneic stem cell transplantation and others.
Forecast of life of
patients Acute myeloblastic leukemia is well treatable. The prognosis depends on the individual characteristics of the patient, the type of disease, its degree and similar factors.
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