Pediatric Acute Myelocytic Leukemia Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Mark E Weinblatt, MD; Chief Editor: Robert J Arceci, MD, PhD   more...
 
Updated: May 2, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Children may not have well-known symptoms of leukemia, such as adenopathy, overt bleeding, and serious infections. Nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue, irritability, fevers, and bruising, are common in childhood and might not be recognized as symptoms of leukemia, thus delaying a diagnosis of leukemia. Persistence of these symptoms should prompt further investigation.

Differentials in the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia, aside from those listed in the next section, include the following:

  • Aplastic anemia
  • Drug-induced pancytopenia
  • Viral-induced pancytopenia
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Neuroblastoma
  • Transient myeloproliferative syndrome in Down syndrome

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Mark E Weinblatt, MD  Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Winthrop University Hospital

Mark E Weinblatt, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Kathleen M Sakamoto, MD, PhD  Professor and Chief, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Vice-Chair of Research, Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA; Co-Associate Program Director of the Signal Transduction Program Area, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, California Nanosystems Institute and Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine

Kathleen M Sakamoto, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, International Society for Experimental Hematology, Society for Pediatric Research, and Western Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Timothy P Cripe, MD, PhD  Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Clinical Director, Musculoskeletal Tumor Program, Co-Medical Director, Office for Clinical and Translational Research, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Director of Pilot and Collaborative Clinical and Translational Studies Core, Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Timothy P Cripe, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Pediatric Society, American Society of Hematology, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Robert J Arceci, MD, PhD  King Fahd Professor of Pediatric Oncology, Professor of Pediatrics, Oncology and the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Robert J Arceci, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Pediatric Society, American Society of Hematology, and American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  2. Bhatia S, Neglia JP. Epidemiology of childhood acute myelogenous leukemia. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. May 1995;17(2):94-100. [Medline].

  3. Matasar MJ, Ritchie EK, Consedine N, Magai C, Neugut AI. Incidence rates of acute promyelocytic leukemia among Hispanics, blacks, Asians, and non-Hispanic whites in the United States. Eur J Cancer Prev. Aug 2006;15(4):367-70. [Medline].

  4. [Guideline] Tomizawa D, Tabuchi K, Kinoshita A, Hanada R, Kigasawa H, Tsukimoto I, et al. Repetitive cycles of high-dose cytarabine are effective for childhood acute myeloid leukemia: long-term outcome of the children with AML treated on two consecutive trials of Tokyo Children's Cancer Study Group. Pediatr Blood Cancer. Aug 2007;49(2):127-32. [Medline].

  5. Gamis AS, Woods WG, Alonzo TA, Buxton A, Lange B, Barnard DR, et al. Increased age at diagnosis has a significantly negative effect on outcome in children with Down syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Children's Cancer Group Study 2891. J Clin Oncol. Sep 15 2003;21(18):3415-22. [Medline].

  6. Ortega JJ, Madero L, Martín G, Verdeguer A, García P, Parody R, et al. Treatment with all-trans retinoic acid and anthracycline monochemotherapy for children with acute promyelocytic leukemia: a multicenter study by the PETHEMA Group. J Clin Oncol. Oct 20 2005;23(30):7632-40. [Medline].

  7. [Guideline] Children's Oncology Group. Chemotherapy. Long-term follow-up guidelines for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. Mar 2006..

  8. Lie SO, Abrahamsson J, Clausen N, Forestier E, Hasle H, Hovi L, et al. Treatment stratification based on initial in vivo response in acute myeloid leukaemia in children without Down's syndrome: results of NOPHO-AML trials. Br J Haematol. Jul 2003;122(2):217-25. [Medline].

  9. Sanz MA, Grimwade D, Tallman MS, Lowenberg B, Fenaux P, Estey EH, et al. Management of acute promyelocytic leukemia: recommendations from an expert panel on behalf of the European LeukemiaNet. Blood. Feb 26 2009;113(9):1875-91. [Medline].

  10. [Guideline] Children's Oncology Group. Hematopoetic cell transplant. Long-term follow-up guidelines for survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. Mar 2006..

  11. Klingebiel T, Reinhardt D, Bader P. Place of HSCT in treatment of childhood AML. Bone Marrow Transplant. Oct 2008;42 Suppl 2:S7-9. [Medline].

  12. [Best Evidence] Bucaneve G, Micozzi A, Menichetti F, Martino P, Dionisi MS, Martinelli G, et al. Levofloxacin to prevent bacterial infection in patients with cancer and neutropenia. N Engl J Med. Sep 8 2005;353(10):977-87. [Medline].

 
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