What causes acute myeloid leukemia (AML)?

What causes acute myeloid leukemia (AML)?

The blood stem cells make up a small part of bone marrow. These stem cells develop into blood-forming cells and into white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. The white blood cells include types of cells, including lymphocytes and myeloid cells.

The stem cell can develop a red blood cell that carries oxygen. The stem cell can become a white blood cell or it may become a platelet, which helps form blood clots and/or stop bleeding events.

In people with AML, the myeloid cells don’t develop normally into healthy cells due to a mutation or damage. Instead, in the case of AML, the cells turn into immature white blood cells called myeloid blasts (myeloblasts). These cells continue to grow rapidly and in an uncontrolled manner, disturbing the normal production of healthy cells. The uncontrolled growth can also cause damage by increasing your risk of bleeding and or other disorders (such as infection and stroke/heart attack) if the leukemia goes on unnoticed.

Leukemia cells (blasts) can build up in bone marrow, crowding out healthy cells. These diseased cells quickly move into your blood and other parts of your body.