What is Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)?
Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood-forming tissue, primarily the bone marrow and the lymph nodes. Bone marrow is the sponge-like tissue inside the large bones of the body. Bone marrow produces red blood cells (which carry oxygen and other materials to all tissues of the body), white blood cells (which fight infection), and platelets (which helps the blood to clot). There are two main types of white blood cells – lymphoid cells and myeloid cells. AML affects the myeloid cells. When leukemia develops, the bone marrow produces large numbers of abnormal – usually white – blood cells. These blood cells (which are not capable of fighting infection) flood the blood stream and lymph system and may invade vital organs. AML can appear in adults and children, but it is treated differently in each (for information on the adult type, please see Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
