For many types of cancers, diagnosis at the earliest possible stage makes treatment much more effective. The American Cancer Society recommends screening tests for early diagnosis of certain cancers in people without any symptoms.

But at this time, there are no special tests recommended to detect acute myeloid leukemia (AML) early. The best way to find leukemia early is to report any possible symptoms of leukemia (see the section, "How is acute myeloid leukemia diagnosed?") to the doctor right away.

Some people are known to be at increased risk of AML because of certain blood disorders (such as myelodysplastic syndrome) or inherited disorders (such as Down syndrome), or because they were treated with certain chemotherapy drugs or radiation. Most doctors recommend that these people receive careful, regular medical checkups. They do not usually develop leukemia, but they and their doctors should be familiar with possible symptoms of AML.

Last Medical Review: 08/06/2009
Last Revised: 08/06/2009