Acute myeloid leukemia treatment is generally done in two phases.
Phase 1: induction therapy
The goals of induction therapy are to put your leukemia in remission and ensure you are healthy enough to go on to the next phase, consolidation therapy. This typically means getting a combination of chemotherapy drugs in the hospital for about a week. Some people need more than one course of induction therapy to bring about remission.
Your inpatient care will be at SCCA inpatient hospital at University of Washington Medical Center, which was named a Magnet hospital for its outstanding nursing care. Research shows patient outcomes are better at Magnet hospitals.
We know people prefer to be at home, so we provide as much of your care as possible as an outpatient. Offering infusion services 365 days a year at the SCCA outpatient clinic on Lake Union helps us keep your hospital stay shorter.
Phase 2: consolidation therapy
The goal of consolidation therapy is to eliminate any leukemia cells that remain. The main options for AML consolidation are chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant.
Bone marrow
The soft, spongy material in the center of your bones that produces all your blood cells, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.
Chemotherapy
Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It may be given alone or with other treatments.
Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, infusion or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy or biologic therapy.
Infusion
An injection of medications or fluids into a vein over a period of time.
Remission
A decrease in, or disappearance of, signs and symptoms of cancer.
A decrease in, or disappearance of, signs and symptoms of cancer. In partial remission, some (but not all) signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. In complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared, although cancer still may be in the body.