What Is Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia?
Acute myelomonocytic leukemia or AMML is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia. This cancer occurs in the blood cells of the bone marrow, a spongy component in bones. In people with AMML, the production of blast cells, a specialized form of white blood cells, is increased. As a result, it leads to uncontrolled growth of immature cells that may replace healthy cells. It is estimated that AMML only accounts for around 5 to 10 percent of myeloid leukemia cases. [1]
Causes of Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia
Scientists have not found the exact cause of AMML, which may be different from person to person. The origin of the disease is believed to be the stem cells in the bone marrow. This is the most basic body cell that can grow into other specialized types, such as brain cells, muscle cells, and more. Nevertheless, certain factors may lead to genetic mutations, which would cause the uncontrolled growth of these stem cells. These genetic changes may include a translocation, inversion, duplication, or depletion in the chromosome’s structure. The most common abnormalities in the genetics of people with AMML are inversion 16 and 11q23/KMT2A rearrangement. [2]
