Bitemedicine Flashcards
Symptoms of hyperviscousity
Headache, blurred vision, flushing, palmar erythema, itching after a bath, burning pain in extremities, increased risk of thrombosis
Medication in patients with polycythaemia vera
Aspirin
EPO levels in polycythaemia vera
Low (negative feedback)
Mutation in 95% of patients with polycytaemia vera
JAK2
Management of polycythaemia vera
Weekly phlebotomy
Aspirin
Hydroxyurea (in patients at very high risk of thrombosis e.g. older age)
Symptoms of polycythaemia vera
Headache, blurred vision, flushing, palmar erythema, itching after a bath, burning pain in extremities, increased risk of thrombosis
Pathophysiology of essential thrombocytosis
Proliferation of megakaryocytes increases platelet count
Symptoms of essential thrombocytosis
Bleeding (platelets dysfunctional)
Clotting (more platelets)
Mutation seen in 50% of patients with essential thrombocytosis
JAK2
Bone marrow biopsy in essential thrombocytosis
Increased megakaryocytes
Management of essential thrombocytosis
Aspirin
Hydroxyurea
Which haematological malignancy is gum hypertrophy most associated with?
AML
What condition does myelodysplasia predispose to?
AML
Translocation associated with AML
t(15;17)
Features of the acute promyelocytic leukaemia subtype of AML
Younger patients (around 45yrs)
Associated with DIC
t(15;17) translocation
Good prognosis
What is myelodysplasia?
Neoplastic proliferation of immature myeloid cells with evidence of dysplasia
30% progress to AML
Bone marrow biopsy in myelodysplasia
Blast cells raised but less than 20%
Blood film in AML
Immature myeloid cells
Auer rods
Bone marrow biopspy in AML
More than 20% myeloblasts
Genetics of CML
Philadelphia chromosome common (causes BCR-ABL gene)
Blood film in CML
Raised granulocytes, but most of these aren’t blasts
Bone marrow biopsy in CML
Raised granulocytes, but most of these aren’t blasts
Blast cell count in chronic phase CML
Less than 10% blast cells
Blast cell count in accelerated phase CML
Less than 20% blast cells
Blast cell count in blast phase CML
Over 20% blast cells
What is myelofibrosis?
Myeloproliferative condition whereby there is neoplastic proliferation of mature myeloid cells, particularly megakaryocytes, leading to marrow fibrosis
Risk factors for myelofibrosis
Older age
Radiation
Mutation seen in around 50% of patients with myelofibrosis
JAK2
Teardrop RBCs of blood film
Myelofibrosis
FBC in myelofibrosis
Anaemia, others are low or variable
Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy in myelofibrosis
“dry tap” on aspirate
marrow fibrosis on biopsy
Management of myelofibrosis
Chemotherapy
What age does polycythaemia vera tend to onset?
50-70
What are actinic keratoses?
Pre-malignant scaly spots on the skin
Dues to sun exposure
May develop into squamous cell carcinoma
SCC prognosis
Good
Risk factors for malignant melanoma
Older age (not so significant as BCC or SCC Sun exposure Previous skin cancer Family history of skin cancer Fair skin Multiple / atypical moles Immunosuppression
What is the most common type of melanoma?
Superficial spreading
Characteristics of superficial spreading melanoma
Grows horizontally before deepe
Younger patient
Back, chest, arms, legs
Flat, large, irregularly pigmented