What is acute promyelocytic leukemia?
Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a type of blood cancer in which the number of white blood cells called promyelocytes increases.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders says that 600 to 800 people in the U.S. get this type of cancer yearly.
Even though he didn’t treat Metchie, Dr Douglas Smith, a cancer professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Care Center, talked to Yahoo Sports last year about Metchie’s outlook.
“In the first one to two months, it’s the most dangerous type of acute leukemia, but after that, it’s the easiest to treat,” he said.
“Patients with APL tend to bleed and clot unexpectedly. …
Once the bleeding stops and the leukemia is under control, this is the most treatable type of acute leukemia in people.
