About Leukemia: AML

AML is a form of leukemia common in children. Most of the children that don’t develop ALL, develop this form of cancer, AML. AML is just as common in boys as it is in girls. However, the five-year survival rate (how many people are still alive 5 years after diagnosis) is lower than ALL. In ALL, it is 85%, while in AML, it is only 50%.

There is one main difference between ALL and AML. ALL starts in lymphocytes, while AML starts with granulocytes and monocytes. Granulocytes are a kind of white blood cell that identifies germs (once the T lymphocytes have marked them) and destroys them. Monocytes circulate in the blood stream for about a day before they become “full-grown”. Then, they turn into macrophages. These can help destroy germs by surrounding and digesting them. They can also help lymphocytes recognize and mark germs. AML can also form from other kinds of cells, and is not limited to monocytes and granulocytes.

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