In this blog post, I will be discussing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children. The goal is to educate people of the causes, signs/symptoms, and
treatment for leukemia. Also, this blog will be going over the cost, process, and the side effects of treatment. I will be focusing on leukemia in children because my full blog is related to an eight-year-old named Lauren Turner that is suffering from
this type of cancer.
So, what is acute
myeloid leukemia? Acute myeloid leukemia is where too many immature white
blood cells are made (Caywood 1). The picture to the right shows the white blood cells in body of a patient with leukemia. This certain type of leukemia is rare for
children to have. Acute myeloid leukemia accounts for approximately 20% of
acute leukemia in children compared to 80% in adults (Mudaliar, and Agarwal 253).
In the case of Lauren Turner, she was one of the few children diagnosed with
this rare type of cancer.
What causes acute myeloid
leukemia in children? The exact causes are unknown. Although, Doctors do
know that medical conditions can help increase the chances of a child getting
AML. Genetic conditions that are inherited, like Down syndrome, can play a risk
factor. This doesn’t necessarily mean that every child with these genetic
conditions will get acute myeloid leukemia. Acute myeloid leukemia is said to
be the more common for children that have had either chemotherapy or radiation
as their treatment type. According to Izenberg, AML is the most common type of
secondary cancer in children who have previously undergone cancer treatment.
What are the signs
and symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia in children? Acute myeloid leukemia
can develop rapidly, which means the symptoms will also develop quickly. Common
symptoms of AML in children are frequent persistent infections, fever, unusual
bruising, bleeding, tiredness, breathlessness, paleness, and generally being
run down (“Childhood Leukaemia”). These symptoms can often be overlooked
because they are very general and common in other illnesses. Also, it is possible for a child with AML to
have lumps in the lymph nodes of the neck, underarm, or groin area. These lumps
of leukemia cells (called chloromas) can develop anywhere in the body
(Caywood 2).
What are the
different types of treatment are available for children with acute myeloid
leukemia? Protocols for AML are based on best practice for children
(Turner). Typically, treatment is broken down into two phases. The first phase
is used to kill cancer cells and try to get remission. “Remission” means that
there is no disease left in the body. This is what doctors try to achieve. The
second phase is used to remove the remaining leukemia cells. Chemotherapy can
be used to treat acute myeloid cancer. Chemotherapy is a combination of
anti-cancer drugs and is the main form of treatment for childhood AML
(“Childhood Leukaemia”). A bone marrow transplant was the type of treatment
used on Lauren Turner. This procedure involves destroying cancer cells and
normal bone marrow and immune stem cells with high-dose chemotherapy and then
reintroducing healthy donor stem cells into the body (Caywood 3). Lauren received a bone marrow transplant from her older sister, Hailey Turner, who
was a perfect match. After this transplant though, Lauren did get diagnosed
with acute myeloid leukemia for a third time. The doctors said the cause of
this could be that her sister was too close of a match for Lauren. This is important to keep in mind, because even with a transplant the cancer patient can relapse.
How much are bone
marrow transplants cost and how can others be involved? I interviewed Lauren's mother for more information on this topic because Lauren is about to have a second bone marrow transplant. The cost can be
approximately $400,000 or more depending (Turner). Also, the match has to be
between the ages 18-44. To see if you are able to give bone you must have a
cheek swab and the results will be back in 4-6 weeks. If some is a match, their
typing goes on the National Marrow Donor Program registry. That person stays on
the list until they are 61 years old or until a medical condition changes and
the person is no longer able to meet the criteria. People are matched with
their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. If it matches the child with cancer,
then the person is called in for a physical and more lab work (Turner).
What are side effects of treatment? Cancer treatments will mostly likely have side effects. This is because while the treatments are killing the cancer cells, they can also damage some normal cells ("Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) in Children"). Some effects can include: hair loss, anaemia, weight loss, appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting.
If you know any child that has these symptoms or has been exposed to the causes described in this blog, you should inform them and make an appointment for the doctor to get
tested for leukemia. I hope this information helped anyone that had questions about the
causes, signs/symptoms, and different treatments available for children with
acute myeloid leukemia.
