Definition

Noun A type of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the rapid and excessive production of immature white blood cells called myelocytes, which are found in the bloodstream.

Usage

This is a medical term used specifically in oncology and hematology to diagnose and classify a serious disease. It describes a condition where the body produces too many abnormal myelocytes, a type of cell that normally develops into infection-fighting granulocytes.

Examples

• The patient was diagnosed with myelocytic leukemia after a blood test revealed a high count of immature myelocytes.
• Treatment for myelocytic leukemia often involves chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation.
• Research is ongoing to find more effective therapies for acute myelocytic leukemia.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often specified further as acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) or chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), indicating the speed of disease progression.
• In medical literature, it is frequently discussed in the context of cytogenetic abnormalities, such as the Philadelphia chromosome in chronic myelocytic leukemia.

Variants and Related Words

• Myelogenous leukemia: A synonym often used interchangeably with myelocytic leukemia, emphasizing its origin in the myeloid cell line.
• Myelocyte: The immature cell whose overproduction defines this leukemia.
• Leukemia: The general term for cancers of the blood-forming tissues.

Synonyms

• Myelogenous leukemia
• Myeloid leukemia (Note: While often used synonymously, in precise medical classification, subtle distinctions may exist between subtypes.)

Notes

This term is highly technical. In common or patient-friendly language, it is often referred to more broadly as "blood cancer" or by its specific acronyms (AML, CML). The presence of myelocytes in the blood is a key diagnostic marker.

Noun

1. a malignant neoplasm of blood-forming tissues; marked by proliferation of myelocytes and their presence in the blood