Leukaemia, acute myeloid - NHS Choices

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukaemia means the condition progresses rapidly and aggressively and requires immediate treatment.

Acute leukaemia is classified according to the type of white blood cells that are affected by cancer. There are two main types:

lymphocytes – mostly used to fight viral infections
myeloid cells – which perform a number of different functions, such as fighting bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread of tissue damage
These pages focus on acute myeloid leukaemia, which is cancer of the myeloid cells. The following other types of leukaemia are covered elsewhere:

acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
chronic myeloid leukaemia
chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Warning signs of acute leukaemia

Symptoms of acute myeloid leukaemia usually begin slowly before rapidly getting severe as the number of immature white blood cells in your blood increases (see below for an explanation of this). Symptoms include:

pale skin
tiredness
breathlessness
having repeated infections over a short space of time
unusual and frequent bleeding


Clinical features:

• Splenomegaly(CML)
• Anemia
• Fatigue
• Thin
• Lymphadenopathy(CLL)