Chapter 33: Leukemia (Children)

Question 1

Leukemia

Answer 1

refers to the cancers of the blood-forming cells or hematopoiesis
-normal hematopoiesis (production and development of blood cells) is altered

Question 2

2 types of blood forming cells

Answer 2

• myeloid: differentiate and form into red blood cells (RBCs), monocytes, granulocytes, and platelets
• lymphoid: differentiate and form into B cells and T cells

Question 3

Leukemia: Background

Answer 3

• immature blood cells multiply at the expense of normal blood cells; these immature blood cells also have a growth advantage over normal cellular elements b/c of their increased rate of proliferation (cell growth), a decreased rate of spontaneous apoptosis (cell death), or both
• the immature cells are known as blast cells
• normal bone marrow elements are replaced by large amounts of these immature lymphocytes (blast cells), which causes a “crowding out” of normal red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, and white blood cells (WBCs), resulting in pancytopenia (an abnormally low level of all blood cells produced by the bone marrow, including a low level of RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets)
• leukemia can develop at any point during the stages of normal lymphoid or myeloid differentiation in the bone marrow and can spread to the blood, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system, or other organs of the body

Question 4

Pancytopenia

Answer 4

abnormally low level of all blood cells produced by the bone marrow, including a low level of RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets

Question 5

Classification of Leukemia

Answer 5

based on the predominant cell line affected and the level of cellular differentiation; myeloid and lymphoid denote the cell line involved
-both myeloid and lymphoid cell lines can proliferate into acute or chronic forms of leukemia
-3 major classifications:
>Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
>Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
>Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Question 6

Acute Leukemia

Answer 6

rapidly progressing disease that affects mostly immature, undifferentiated cells that are not able to perform their normal functions

Question 7

Acute myelogenous leukemia

Answer 7

affects all three types of blood cells, but the cells maintain some of their normal function

Question 8

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Answer 8

less rapidly progressing disease allowing for the production of mature, more differentiated cells
-rarely reported