definition Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), also known as non-lymphoid, myeloblastic, granulocytic or myelocytic leukemia, affects various white blood cells including granulocytes, monocytes and platelets. Leukemic cells accumulate in the bone marrow, replace normal blood cells and spread to the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, central nervous system, kidneys and gonads. incidence Approximately 500 children are diagnosed with AML in the United States each year, less common than the most prevalent form of childhood leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is diagnosed in about 2,000 children each year.   AML is diagnosed in about 20 percent of children with leukemia. AML usually occurs in people older than 25, but sometimes is found in teenagers and children. AML is the most common second malignancy (a different or second cancer found in a patient previously treated for cancer.) influencing factors There is a greater incidence of leukemia among people exposed to large amounts of radiation and certain chemicals (e.g. benzene). treatment strategies Chemotherapy is the most common form of therapy for children with AML. Autologous blood stem cell (harvested from bone marrow or peripheral blood) transplantation may be performed as part of treatment. Autologous transplants use the patient’s own stem cells. Allogeneic blood stem cell (harvested from bone marrow, cord blood or peripheral blood) transplantation is preferred treatment for those patients with AML who at a high-risk of relapse or who have disease that is resistant to other treatments. Allogeneic transplants use stem cells from a donor. survival rates Although approximately 80 to 90 percent of children with AML attain a complete remission (absence of leukemic cells), during initial phases of therapy, between 40 to 50 percent of children with AML achieve long-term remissions with chemotherapy. copyright © St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Please visit Heroes For Children to find out how you can help the life of a child with cancer.