Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Advanced Treatments Using FLT3 Therapeutics

05 Sep 2022

The human body is made of trillions of cells that grow, divide, and die as needed over the complete lifespan of an individual. This process of production and degradation of cells makes up the fundamental building block of all the biological processes in the human body. 

Cancer develops when something goes wrong during this cellular process, causing the cells to keep producing new cells while the unhealthy or old cells do not degrade as they should. As the cancer cells proliferate out of control, they may suffocate healthy cells, and the body will find it challenging to function properly. 

Different types of cancer affect thousands of people across the globe. Cancerous cells can grow anywhere in the body, and the type of cancer is named by the area of the body where it first appeared. For instance, if breast cancer that originates in the breast spreads to other parts of the body, it is still referred to as breast cancer.

However, cancer is divided into two main categories: 

•    Hematologic cancer is blood cell malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia.
•    Solid tumor cancer is tumors in any other body tissues or organs. Cancer cells originating around the breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal regions are the most prevalent solid tumors.

One such subtype of hematologic cancer is acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which starts in the bone marrow, the soft interior of some bones, and the location of new blood cell formation. On rare occasions, it may extend to the testicles, liver, lymph nodes, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), and other bodily organs.

Myeloid stem cells in AML typically develop into an immature kind of white blood cells known as myeloblasts (or myeloid blasts). In AML, the myeloblasts are aberrant and do not develop into normal white blood cells. 


Too many stem cells might also develop into dysfunctional red blood cells or platelets. Leukemia cells or blasts are other names for these aberrant white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. 

In the bone marrow and blood, leukemia cells can accumulate, leaving less space for normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. This could result in infection, anemia, or simple bleeding.

Acute myeloid leukemia is a chronic disease that causes a lot of pain to the person affected, and it has low survival rates among adults. Hence, it is important to gain knowledge on all possible symptoms, diagnostic procedures, and advanced treatments available to the patients. All these essential points are discussed further in the article. 

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Symptoms

Early AML signs and symptoms can resemble those of flu or other common illnesses. As the disease advances further in the body, the following symptoms are commonly experienced among patients: 


•    Excessive fatigue 
•    Frequent high fever
•    Loss of appetite or weight loss 
•    Severe headaches
•    Unusual bruising or bleeding 
•    Tiny red spots on the skin (petechiae)
•    Swollen gums
•    Swollen liver or spleen
•    Prone to more infections than usual

Clusters of leukemia cells in the central nervous system (CNS) or testicles, or a tumor of myeloid cells known as a chloroma, are a few of the less observed signs or symptoms of AML. Acute leukemia symptoms frequently appear four to six weeks before its diagnosis.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Diagnosis Methods

Blood and bone marrow testing are the main part of the AML diagnostic procedure. Some tests and techniques are mentioned as follows:

1.    Flow cytometry: It is a lab procedure that counts the cells in a sample, calculates the percentage of living cells in the sample, and analyzes the cells' size, shape, and presence of a tumor or other markers on their surface. One cell at a time is put in a fluid, dyed with a fluorescent dye, and then passed through a light beam using a sample of the patient's blood, bone marrow, or other tissue. 

The test results are based on how the fluorescent dye-stained cells respond to the light beam. This examination is used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of malignancies, including leukemia and lymphoma.

2.    Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy: In this procedure, a hollow needle is inserted into the hipbone or breastbone to remove bone marrow, blood, and a small piece of bone. Under a microscope, a pathologist examines the bone, blood, and marrow for indications of malignancy.

3.    Molecular testing: It is a lab test to examine a sample of blood or bone marrow for certain genes, proteins, or other substances. Additionally, specific mutations in a gene or chromosome that could increase or decrease the risk of getting AML are examined by molecular assays. 

A molecular test can also be used to provide a prognosis, assess how well a treatment is functioning, or aid in treatment planning.

4.    Immunophenotyping: It is a laboratory test that uses antibodies to distinguish between several types of antigens or markers on the surface of the cells to identify cancer cells. This examination aids in the identification of particular leukemia types. 

For instance, a cytochemistry investigation may use chemicals (dyes) to examine the cells in a tissue sample to look for specific alterations in the sample. One type of leukemia cell may change color in response to a chemical, but another type may not. 

Advanced Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment Using FLT3 Therapeutics

A protein called fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 is produced in the body as a result of instructions from the FLT3 gene. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), a family of proteins that includes FLT3, are known to carry signals from the cell surface into the cell through a process called signal transduction.

Particularly, in the early blood cells known as hematopoietic progenitor cells, this signaling system tends to regulate several important biological activities, including cell proliferation and survival. Any FLT3 gene mutations lead to blood cancer, primarily FLT3 mutant AML.

In recent years, the advancement of the global FLT3 inhibitors market has been fueled by the pharmaceutical industry's increased interest in the therapeutic potential for treating blood malignancies with fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) positive mutations.

For the treatment of AML with FLT3 mutation, recently approved medications such as Rydapt and Xospata have made it possible to meet unmet medical needs and take on complicated, difficult targets.

It is believed that the recent rise in the number of drugs approved for the treatment of AML with FLT3 positive mutations has improved the prospects for future therapeutic development.

The potential of FLT3 inhibitors as therapeutic agents for the treatment of blood malignancies with FLT3 positive mutations is currently being assessed in 76 clinical studies. The most advanced medications in the pipeline include SKLB1028, Dovitinib, and Crenolanib.

Due to factors such as the introduction of novel FLT3 medication products, increasing incidence of acute myeloid leukemia, and rising research and development investments, the market is expected to grow significantly.

According to a BIS Research report, the global FLT3 inhibitors market is expected to reach $2.3 billion by 2032 from $400.9 million in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 14.88% during the forecast period 2022-2032. 

Conclusion 

With the advancements in technology, heavy investments in healthcare worldwide, and the rising awareness among people, dangerous diseases have become more manageable over time. 

The right diagnosis at the right time and efficient treatment can protect thousands of people against cancer types such as acute myeloid leukemia. 

 
 

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