Can Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Be Found Early?
For many types of cancer, finding it early might make treatment more successful. The American Cancer Society recommends screening tests for early detection of certain cancers in people without any symptoms.
But at this time, no screening tests have been shown to be helpful in finding acute myeloid leukemia (AML) early.
AML often develops (and causes symptoms) fairly quickly, so the best way to find AML early is to report any possible symptoms of AML to a doctor right away.
For people at increased risk of AML
Some people are known to be at increased risk of AML, including:
- People who have certain blood disorders (such as a myelodysplastic syndrome)
- People with inherited disorders (such as Down syndrome)
- People who were treated with certain chemotherapy drugs or radiation
Most doctors recommend that these people get careful, regular medical checkups. This might include checking blood cell counts, which can sometimes find leukemia early, before it causes symptoms. These people might want to also be familiar with the possible symptoms of AML, and report any symptoms they have to a doctor.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Appelbaum FR. Chapter 95: Acute Leukemias in Adults. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier; 2020.
Kolitz JE. Acute myeloid leukemia in adults: Overview. UpToDate. 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acute-myeloid-leukemia-in-adults-overview on November 25, 2024.
National Cancer Institute. Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version. 2024. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/types/leukemia/hp/adult-aml-treatment-pdq on November 25, 2024.
Last Revised: March 4, 2025
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