Tests that examine the blood and bone marrow are used to diagnose childhood acute myeloid leukemia.
There is no standard staging system for leukemia, but leukemic cells can spread outside the blood or bone marrow to other parts of the body, including the brain and spinal cord, skin, and gums. Sometimes leukemia cells form a solid mass called a myeloid sarcoma or granulocytic sarcoma.
Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia is treated with combination chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and sometimes with additional radiotherapy. Chemotherapy is comprised with two phases, induction therapy and consolidation therapy. Patients at high risk of relapse undergo hepatopoietic stem cell transplantation after achieving complete remission. Even with relapsed or refractory disease, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can produce long-term survival in some patients. In special type of acute myeloid leukemia, specific agents are incorporated in the treatment (For example, tretinoin, arsenic trioxide for acute promyelocytic leukemia).