Acute Leukemia Flashcards
What are the symptoms of Acute Leukemia?
(Note these are also for chronic leukemia)
What is leukemia?
Haematological malignancy characterised by abnormal proliferation of myeloid or lymphoid precursor cells resulting in BM failure and pancytopenia
Acute leukaemia is a haematological emergency and requires urgent evaluation. Whatre the 2 types of acute leukaemia?
AML = Clonal proliferation of myeloid precursors
ALL = Malignancy of lymphoid cells affecting T and B cells
Most adult ALL affect B or T cells?
Whatre the genetics behind this leukemia?
What is the main therapeutic target for this? + Give name of drug
Most adult ALL fall into B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma
Philadelphia chromosome coding BCR-ABL1
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) target this - Imatinib
What is the philadelphia chromosome?
Common translocation of chromosomes 9 and 22 => t(9;22)
What classification is used for Leukemia?
2016 WHO classification of myeloid and acute leukemias
It is not required knowledge but it does demonstrate the importance of clinical, morphological, immunophenotypic and genetic features in the diagnosis, treatment and planning for patients
What is the most common acute leukemia in childhood? What about adults?
Childhood = ALL
Adult = AML
What percent of adult leukemias are ALL vs AML
AML 80%
ALL 20%, the most common of which is B-cell
Give the basic pathophysiology of of Leukaemia
1) Genetic damage to progenitor cells (=blast cells) leads to uncontrolled proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and a block in cellular differentiation
2) This leads to an accumulation of blast cells => replacing normal haematopoiesis => pancytopenia
3) Organ infiltration and tumour masses
Tumour masses in leukemia are caled?
Sarcomas
Testicular infiltration is characteristic of AML or ALL?
how would it present?
ALL
Painless testicular enlargement
Give the symptoms of acute leukemia
+ bone pain
+ Extramedullary disease (=> screen organ systems such as CNS!!)
e.g. in ALL, Testicular infiltration (=> US)
What is Fanconi syndrome
Rare disorder in DNA repair => BM failure and predisposition to anaemia
+ Congenital abnormalities
Give 4 RF for AML
Give 4 RF for ALL
What are the main diagnostic investigations for leukemia?
BM aspirate and BM trephine biopsy