Marilyn Colletta AML
Foundation (MCAF)
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Marilyn Colletta AML
Foundation (MCAF)
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Acute Myelogenous Leukemia During the 19th Century European physicians made observations of patients who had marked elevation of their white blood cells, this led to their coining the term “weisses blut” or “white blood” as a designation for this disorder. In time, the term “leukemia”, which is derived from the Greek words “leukos” meaning “white” and “haima” meaning “blood” was used to identify the disease. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a rapidly progressing disease that affects principally cells that are unformed or primitive, that is, not yet fully developed or differentiated. As a result these immature cells cannot carry out their normal functions. AML is acquired (not inherited) from genetic damage to the DNA of developing cells in the bone marrow. The effects are A) the uncontrolled, exaggerated growth and accumulation of cells called “leukemic blasts”, which fail to function as normal blood cells and B) the blockade of the production of normal marrow cells, resulting to a deficiency of red cells (anemia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia) and normal white cells (especially neutrophils, i.e. neutropenia) in the blood. In most cases the cause of AML is not evident, however, several factors have been associated with an increased risk of disease. These factors include exposure to very high doses of irradiation, exposure to benzene, usually in the work place, and exposure to chemotherapy used to treat cancers such as breast cancer, cancer of the ovary, or the lymphomas. AML is not a contagious disease and is not inherited. Approximately 15% of childhood leukemia cases are of AML. Older adults are more likely to develop this disease, the risk increases about ten-fold from the age 30 (about 1 case per 100,00 people) to age 70 (approximately 1 case per 10,000 people). Drugs as those of other patients do not as easily kill the leukemia cells of some patients because this disease is most often drug resistant. This may lead to a failure of current treatment. As a result, more mechanisms and/or protocols must be defined to reverse drug resistance to better facilitate the effects of chemotherapy.
Foundation
The Third Annual
Marilyn Colletta Benefit Gala
To benefit Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
(AML) and all hematological malignancies
Sunday, February 24,2008
The Watermill
12:30 p.m. Cocktail Hour
Top Shelf Open Bar
1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Dinner Reception
Top Shelf Open Bar
Dancing to music provided by
The Chaperones and Vito Balsamo
Rick Virga Elvis Tribute Artist
Comedian John Keenan
In The Mood DJ Productions
$85 Donation per person
Please email us for info to attend the Gala or make a donation at
mcamlfoundation@optonline.net
(631) 979-8628 
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Send mail to
webmaster@mcaml.org
with questions or comments about this web site.
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