Health Update: Health Update: Tatiana Schlossberg’s death and understanding acute myeloid leukemia – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
Caroline Kennedy’s daughter reveals terminal cancer diagnosis
Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, Tatiana Schlossberg, wrote that she learned she had acute myeloid leukemia after giving birth in May 2024.
Tatiana Schlossberg, President John F. Kennedy’s granddaughter and Caroline Kennedy’s daughter, has died at 35, shortly after revealing a terminal cancer diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia.
In a heart-wrenching essay for the New Yorker published Nov. 22, Schlossberg said she learned she had acute myeloid leukemia after giving birth to her second child in May 2024. The news came after her doctor noticed an imbalance in her white blood cell count. At the time, doctors estimated she may have less than a year to live.
Her death was confirmed Dec. 30 by The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the non-profit organization that provides financial support, staffing and creative resources for the former president’s library.
Here’s what to know about acute myeloid leukemia and how it’s treated.
What is acute myeloid leukemia?
Acute myeloid leukemia, also called AML, is a rare cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
While the exact trigger of the disease isn’t known, AML is caused by changes to our genes. These could be inherited or ones that show up during your lifetime for a variety of reasons.
Shifts in our DNA code alter the production of blood cells and platelets in our bone marrow, the soft tissue inside our bone. When our DNA script changes, our bone marrow produces abnormal myeloid cells called myeloid blasts, which multiply uncontrollably and don’t die the way normal cells would after doing their specific jobs, according to the Cleveland Clinic. As the unhealthy cells build up, they enter the bloodstream and spread through other parts of the body, preventing our system from healthy functioning.
What are the symptoms and treatment for acute myeloid leukemia?
AML presents with symptoms that could feel like a cold or flu.
But this illness is called “acute” because of how quickly it worsens, according to the Mayo Clinic. Because of the aggressive nature of the disease, more noticeable symptoms like dizziness, easy or frequent bleeding or bruising, fatigue and fever, among other symptoms, quickly develop and impact normal body functions.
AML is typically treated with chemotherapy in addition to bone marrow transplant using cells from related or unrelated donors to bring blood counts back to regular levels. But infusing stem cells into bone marrow risks serious complications such as infection and a long recovery, while success rates largely vary depending on someone’s health.
Doctors aim for remission, meaning when cancerous cells aren’t detectable in blood samples. After remission, some patients may stay on a maintenance form of chemotherapy to prevent the irregular cells from coming back.
Schlossberg wrote she had two bone-marrow transplants at New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering.
With a complicated disease like ALM, every patient must work with their doctor to find the right treatment course for their body. Some people might not qualify for a stem cell transplant because they don’t have an available donor or aren’t healthy enough to withstand such an invasive treatment.
Meanwhile, others could react differently to various chemotherapy programs depending on the scale of their illness, according to the American Cancer Society. Many older people or those in poor health even opt out of available treatments because the intense side effects may work against their chances of survival.
Is remission possible?
About 50% to 80% of people with AML achieve complete remission after treatment, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But about 50% of people who achieve complete remission develop recurrent AML, when the disease comes back.
It’s variable how long people live with AML. The disease has a 30% survival rate among adults in the five years following diagnosis. The majority of AML patients adults aged 60 and older who may have other health issues. Factors such as other health conditions, age and environment can contribute to survival rates.
Contributing: Saman Shafiq and Sara Moniuszko