Acute myeloid leukemia is one of the blood cancers. It not only deteriorates rapidly and is difficult to treat, but also one-third of people have genetic mutations that increase the risk of recurrence.
Leung Ru-hung, a lecturer at the Department of Internal Medicine (Hematology and Hematology Oncology) at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, said that acute myeloid leukemia is "the most rapidly deteriorating cancer", and cancer cells can instantly flood the bone marrow and blood.
The 5-year survival rate is only 30%, even if the survival rate for young patients aged 15 to 34 is only half, "the most detailed pediatrician has a few years old."
The goal of current treatment is to make patients completely free of cancer cells.
Doctors generally recommend that patients receive targeted drugs and chemotherapy, and some patients can undergo bone marrow transplantation.
April 21 is World Acute Myeloid Leukemia Day. Liang Ruhong called on the public to register as bone marrow donors, giving patients a glimmer of hope. Even in the case of relapse, with the introduction of inhibitors, they can effectively prolong survival.
Leung Ru-hung, chair professor of the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, described acute skeletal leukemia as the most rapidly deteriorating cancer.
Cancer cells can grow rapidly and get worse in a few days
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer in which cancer cells grow in the bone marrow and travel throughout the body with the blood.
Cancer cells can grow rapidly and get worse over days or weeks.
Common symptoms include sudden fever, pale complexion, easy fatigue, menstrual irregularities in women, heavy bleeding and anemia.
A blood cancer is a mutation in a group of bone marrow hematopoietic cells responsible for hematopoiesis that affects blood levels in the body.
(Visual China)
The 5-year survival rate is only 30%, the older you get, the lower
At present, the 5-year survival rate of acute myeloid leukemia is only 30%, and the younger group aged 15 to 34 has only 52% survival rate, which is already the highest survival rate, and the youngest patients are only a few years old.
Among them, factors such as congenital genetic problems, smoking, exposure to high doses of radiation or chemicals, and the elderly will increase the risk.
Rapidly deteriorating due to genetic mutation
One-third of patients with acute myeloid leukemia develop mutations in the FLT3 gene, which deteriorates rapidly.
However, the latest targeted therapy for the FL3 gene mutation has been available, which can still prolong the median overall survival and reduce the risk of death in patients with initial or recurrent disease.
At present, patients who are younger or in better physical condition are generally treated with chemotherapy or combined with targeted therapy, and some patients require bone marrow transplantation.
The doctor will choose the appropriate treatment according to the patient's physical condition and the severity of the recurrence.
In elderly or frail patients, doctors will focus on treating symptoms to minimize patient discomfort.
Liang Ruhong shared that a male patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and relapsed after receiving high-intensity chemotherapy for induction therapy. He developed a mutation in the FLT3 gene and even suffered from severe pneumonia.
Subsequently, he was arranged to receive 3 courses of FLT3 inhibitor combination therapy, and then received bone marrow transplantation. It has been 3 years since then, and the patient's health is in good condition.
In acute myeloid leukemia, abnormal white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets develop in the bone marrow. This reduces healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, making them susceptible to infection, anemia, or bleeding.
(Image source: Chinese Cancer Information Network - Cancer Illustration)
Registering to donate bone marrow requires only a blood sample
Liang Ruhong pointed out that April 21 is World Acute Myeloid Leukemia Day, and he hopes that the public can raise awareness of the disease.
He said that even in patients with FLT3 gene mutations who have failed treatment and have a higher risk of recurrence, the availability of targeted therapy drugs FLT3 inhibitors can effectively prolong survival.
He also called on everyone to register as a bone marrow donor to give patients a glimmer of hope.
Citizens only need to register at the fixed blood donation station of the Hong Kong Red Cross and collect a small amount of blood samples. There is no need to take bone marrow; their blood test data will be stored in the database and matched when necessary.
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