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Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Expert Explains Why This Aggressive Blood Cancer Is Rising Fast In India
AML Awareness Month is marked each June. In India, where infectious diseases dominate public health narratives, a quieter and deadlier crisis is unfolding- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). About 10-15% of all leukaemia cases, AML is a rapidly progressing blood cancer that requires immediate intensive treatment. Yet, delayed diagnosis and poor access to specialised care are making outcomes grim for hundreds of Indians each year.
Who is at Risk?
Dr Ashay Karpe, Consultant Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, SUNACT Cancer Institute, Mumbai, says, "AML is a cancer of blood and bone marrow that advances quickly, leading to an overproduction of immature white blood cells. While globally it is often diagnosed in the elderly, Indian patients tend to be younger, with many cases presenting in people in their 30s and 40s." According to data from the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), the incidence of AML in India is estimated to be between 0.8 and 5 per 100,000 population.
Where and Why Does Diagnosis Lag?
In the early stages, AML is a master of disguise. Persistent tiredness, low-grade fever, or frequent bruising are often brushed off as minor or seasonal issues by patients and frontline doctors alike. This tendency, particularly in smaller towns and rural belts, allows the disease to progress unchecked.
"AML doesn't give you much time," says Dr Ashay. "By the time a patient sees a specialist, they have often already lost critical ground. Early intervention is the difference between life and loss.'
Unfortunately, the early intervention depends on access, and access is so far from equitable.
From Chemo to Targeted Therapy
Standard AML Therapy isn't just intensive- it's expensive. But the treatment landscape is evolving. Recent advancements in AML treatment like Venetoclax and targeted therapies such as Ivosidenib, are helping clinicians treat patients more effectively, especially those with specific genetic mutations. The arrival of Ivosidenib brings a ray of hope for those with the IDH1 mutation. These drugs are changing the paradigm of AML care, offering new hope where conventional therapy might fail or be too risky for elderly or frail patients.
What can change the Odds?
Dr Karpe, a leading haematologist, warns: 'In India, without expert guidance at diagnosis, we are already several steps behind global standards. Early bone marrow biopsy and cytogenetic profiling are not luxuries-they are lifesavers.' He underscores that proper counselling and early referral improve survival by allowing timely intensive chemotherapy and transplant planning.
'Patients arrive late, often battling infections for organ failure, says Dr Karpe. In AML, that delay is often irreversible.'
Dr Karpe highlights the need to focus on basic upgrades:
1. Training general practitioners to spot danger signs early
2. Ensuring bone marrow testing facilities in public hospitals
3. Including newer targeted drugs and diagnostics as part of the national care
He adds, 'A simple CBC (Complete Blood Count) can be the first clue, but someone has to ask for it at the right time. This is why it matters Now."
AML might not affect millions, but every case is a race against the clock. In a nation with a rapidly shifting disease landscape, early diagnosis, fast-track specialist care, and policy-level intervention could stop this disease from becoming a death sentence. India has tools. What it needs now is urgency.
