- 15 - 20% of all cases of leukemia in children and adolescents.
- Responsible for more than one third of the deaths from leukemia
Heterogeneous group of hematopoietic malignancies:
- Genetic damage to single bone marrow cell
- Uncontrolled proliferation of blasts
- Decreased production of normal cells
- Accumulation of blasts in body organs/tissues
Outcome with treatment is much improved from 30 years ago. Now more than 50% of children with AML will be cured. This has been achieved using clinical trials, treatment intensification and improved supportive care - but the outlook is still not as good as for children with ALL.
Incidence of AML:
Proportion of Pediatric Leukemias |
15 - 20% |
Highest Incidence |
First 2 years of life, but stable throughout childhood |
Racial Bias |
Increased in children from Asian/Pacific island origin |
Gender Bias |
None |
Down Syndrome |
Risk 20 fold higher |
