Objective: To identify how the Brazilian hematology centers treated and diagnosed cases of acute myeloid leukemia in 2009. Methods: An epidemiological observational multicenter study of 11 listed Brazilian centers that treat acute myeloid leukemia and perform bone marrow transplantation. Data were collected from clinical charts of patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated at the said centers between 2005 and 2009. The availability for immunophenotyping and cytogenetic tests was assessed. Results: During 2009, a total of 345 new cases of acute myeloid leukemia were diagnosed. Differences were noted in the tests performed between patients who initiated treatment at the center and those referred for treatment. Of the participating centers, 72% conducted some type of molecular study in acute myeloid leukemia upon diagnosis. Conclusion: The treatment of AML in Brazil shows results that are very inferior when compared to those of other world centers. The lack of information for adequate stratification of risk of patients, such as bands cytogenetics and investigation of molecular mutations, is the chief cause of failure in AML treatment in Brazil. Investment in the area of diagnosis is paramount for improving treatment of AML in Brazil. Keywords: acute myeloid leukemia, cytogenetic analysis, molecular diagnostic techniques, therapeutics, brazil.