According to a story from ncb29.com, Tina Moore initially attributed her easy bruising to an infection. However, when she decided to get some blood work done, her doctors told her that the reality was much worse: she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. The surprise diagnosis has motivated her to spread awareness of the cancer to others.
About Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia is a type of blood cancer that affects myeloid blood cells. Affected cells appear in great numbers in the blood and bone marrow, which inhibits the normal activity of healthy blood cells. Risk factors include pre-existing blood disorders, exposure to certain chemicals (including chemotherapy), family history, radiation exposure, and smoking. Symptoms of acute myeloid leukemia include infections, fatigue, bleeding and bruising easily, shortness of breath, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, and bone or joint pain. Treatment includes chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, and monoclonal antibody drugs such as Mylotarg. Survival varies greatly depending on the aspects of the case, but the overall five year survival rate in the US is poor at around 27 percent. Relapse is common and it is rare for patients to survive once it occurs. To learn more about acute myeloid leukemia, click here.
Tina’s Story
“If you see yourself bruising, don’t blame it on an infection. Go get a blood test.” – Tina
Tina has endured two cycles of treatment with chemotherapy in an attempt to fight off the leukemia, but her doctors have told her that she will need a stem cell transplant if she is to have any real chance of survival. Currently, Tina is on the wait list for a bone marrow donor so she can undergo the operation.
She has been in the hospital for a long time in order to get her treatment. She will soon begin a third round of chemo. Hopefully, if this one is able to get rid of enough cancerous cells, she will be able to at least be at home for a while as she waits for a donor. Ultimately, Tina hopes that her story will help save the lives of other potential patients.
