Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. White blood cells help your body fight infection. White blood cells help your body fight infection. Your blood cells form in your bone marrow. In leukemia, however, the bone marrow produces abnormal white blood cells. These cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, making it hard for blood to do its work. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), there are too many of a specific type of white blood cell called a myeloblast.
AML is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated.