acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a malignant neoplasm of blood-forming tissues characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of immature granular leukocytes that usually have azurophilic Auer rods. Typical symptoms are spongy and bleeding gums, anemia, fatigue, fever, dyspnea, moderate splenomegaly, joint and bone pain, and repeated infections. AML occurs most frequently in adolescents and young adults. The risk of the disease is increased among people who have been exposed to massive doses of radiation and who have certain blood dyscrasias, such as polycythemia, primary thrombocytopenia, and refractory anemia. Hispanics are also at greater risk. Variants of AML, in which only one cell line proliferates, are erythroid, eosinophilic, basophilic, monocytic, and megakaryocytic leukemias. The diagnosis is based on blood counts and bone marrow biopsies. Cytogenic analysis and immunophenotyping are also done for diagnosis. Chemotherapy, biotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation are used, but long remissions resulting from any form of treatment are rare. Also called acute granulocytic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, myeloid leukemia, splenomedullary leukemia, splenomyelogenous leukemia. See also acute childhood leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia.
