Acute Leukemia Flashcards
Leukemic
Abnormal increase of white blood cells
Acute Leukemia characterized
by increase of white blood cells and decrease of other blood cells
Anemia Definition
Lack of healthy red blood cells
thrombocytopenia Definition
Deficiency of platelets causing bruising and bleeding
Neutrophil definition
able to be stained by dye (usually white blood cells)
Granulocytophenia?
Marked decrease of granulocytes
Granulocyte?
White blood cells that are differentiated
Cytopenia
Low blood cell (red and white) count
Pancytopenia
Low counts of three components of blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets
4 essentials of diagnosis of Acute Leukemia
1) Short duration of sx: bleeding, fatigue, fever
2) (Pan)cytopenia
3) More than 20% blasts in bone marrow
4) Blasts in 90% of patient’s peripheral
Most common malignant disease in children?
Acute leukemia (25% of cases)
Type of acute leukemia in children?
ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic leukemia)
Type of acute leukemia in adults?
AML (Acute Myelogenous leukemia)
3 main etiologies
1) radiation
2) Benzene exposure
3) Chemotherapeutic agents
Bloom’s Syndrome
Hereditary (mostly jewish) trait associated with AML. Cutaneous abnormalities.
Fanconi’s Aplasia
Recessive disease with many chromosomal issues.
AML develops
Down’s syndrome
Increased risk of AML and ALL
Bone pain more common in
ALL
Most common sx
fatigue and weakness
Common signs
Pallor
Petechia
Purpura
Sternal tenderness to palpation, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly are much
more common in
AML
CNS leukemia more common in
ALL
2 Most common Lab tests
- CBC (Complete Blood count)
2. Marrow aspirate and biopsy
Does staging exist for Acute Leukemia?
No.
Complete remission rate?
70% in people younger than 60
