HealthTree Community Event: Your Treatment Roadmap After AML Diagnosis

Last week at the HealthTree AML Webinar,  AML specialist Dr. Evan Chen, attending physician in the adult AML program at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School gave a comprehensive view for patients to the steps after being diagnosed with AML which involve understanding the disease, deciding which treatment path to take, and managing symptoms. 

The presentation covered how AML develops, the most common symptoms and affected cells. Dr. Chen guided us through the way AML is diagnosed, highlighting how patients can self-advocate and participate in their treatment decisions at every step of their journey after diagnosis. Dr. Chen's presentation also reminded us that many people can accompany you, such as family, friends, social workers, support and community groups, and a medical team. 

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The Treatment Roadmap After Diagnosis 

The roadmap starts after the bone marrow biopsy that confirms AML diagnosis. First, your doctor discusses your treatment options with you. These options depend on your priorities, AML characteristics, and therapeutic goals. 

The first step is different for each patient, but it can go two ways, depending on the decision made for step 2: 

Step 2 is crucial as it impacts the whole treatment plan after diagnosis. 

Looking at the Big Picture for Choosing the Best Option

Dr. Chen explained the duration of each treatment step, from initial treatment to transplant and, if chosen, post-transplant treatment, all in an effort to ensure that the treatment chosen ensures a longer period of remission. The purpose of intensive treatment before a transplant is to prepare the body and induce a remission. Dr. Chen also addressed the fact that patients can actively participate in their treatment decisions and be informed of what they will undergo before starting to align their priorities, such as quality of life, with the treatments. 

What is Intensive Treatment for AML?

Usually, intensive treatment is given before a transplant, but in some cases, when a transplant is not an option, it can be given as well. Sometimes this type of treatment requires a brief hospital stay to monitor for side effects. 

Intensive treatment has two parts: 

• Induction: The goal is induce a remission this is when a hospital stay is more likely to happen, the time varies between 4-6 weeks.  
• Consolidation: Used for reinforce the remission and prevent relapse while waiting for a transplant. 

Keep Reading AML Treatments

Transplant Insights 

For AML, only allogeneic stem transplantation is possible. Make sure to have all your questions cleared before deciding what is best for you. 

In this event, Dr. Chen responded to the most common questions around transplantation, such as: 

• When am I ready for a transplant? He described the main conditions to be considered ready for transplantation. 
• How do I find a transplant donor? He explained the importance of having a BMT team to accelerate finding a donor. 

Watch the full recording to learn more about Dr. Chen’s presentation. 

Watch the Recording