Haematological malignancies Flashcards
What is cell culture?
Procedure used to grow cells under controlled conditions
What is cell harvest?
Procedure used to collect cells from the specimen
Of FISH and karyotype which is the specific and which is the global test?
FISH = specific Karyotype = global
Which test has a higher sensitivity FISH or karyotype?
FISH
Which test can be performed more quickly FISH or karyotype?
FISH
Do you require metaphase or interphase for karyotype?
Metaphase spreads
Do you require metaphase or interphase for FISH?
Can be performed on both
What are the two cell lineages that can arise from haematopoeitic stem cells?
Myeloid and lymphoid
Examples of cells in the myeloid lineage
Anything that’s not T cells, B cells or NK cells e.g. platelets, red blood cells (erythrocytes), granulocytes, basophills etc.
Three reasons why we test for haematological malignancies?
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Monitoring
Prognosis of complex karyotypes?
Bad
Prognosis of balanced translocation?
Good
In which haematological malignancies can BCR-ABL1 be found?
Most common in CML
ALL
AML
What are blast cells?
Immature cells in either the myeloid or lymphoid lineage e.g. a myeloid blast can become all the myeloid cells but not lymphoid ones
In leukaemias why is bone marrow a better choice of starting material than blood?
Because bone marrow will have more immature white blood cells than blood (in normal individuals blood shouldn’t contain immature white cells but in affected individuals it will)
What is leukaemia?
Cancer of white blood cells where changes occur in the bone marrow
Symptoms of leukaemia?
Fatigue, easy bruising, proneness to infection
What does acute mean?
Occurs quickly
What does chronic mean?
Occurs over a long period of time
Different types of leukaemia?
AML (acute myeloid leukaemia)
ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukaemia)
CML (chronic myeloid leukaemia)
CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia)
What is more aggressive “lymphoblastic” or “lymphocytic”
Lymphoblastic because these blast cells are less differentiated and therefore more aggressive
What is more aggressive ALL or CLL?
ALL
What cells are overproduced in AML??
Myeloid cells
Standard rearrangements in AML
t(15;17) PML;RARA
t(8;21) RUNX1T1;RUNX1
inv(16) CBFB-MYH11
All make chimeric fusion proteins
t(15;17) is characteristic of what?
APML - acute promyelocytic leukaemia
What treatment is APML sensitive to?
Retinoic acid and arsenic
Are APML and APL the same thing?
Yes
How are rearrangements in AML identified?
Can use karyotype, FISH, RT-PCR or multiplex PCR
If you have a suspected APML what analysis method would you use for a rapid analysis?
FISH or RT-PCR - can get result very quickly
If you have suspected AMPL should rapid analysis be performed?
Yes
If you have a cytogenetically normal AML what test could you use to look for mutations in FLT3 and NPM1?
Multiplex PCR - amplify up and look at size on gene marker. Controls run alongside with known size that these fragments should be
Prognosis of t(15;17) PML;RARA in AML
Favourable
Prognosis of t(8;21) RUNX1T1;RUNX1 in AML
Favourable
Prognosis of inv(16) CBFB-MYH11 in AML
Favourable
Prognosis of FLT3 internal tandem duplications in AML
Poor prognosis
Prognosis of NPM1 mutations in AML
Favourable
What would you use multiple PCR for in AML
To look for mutations in NPM1 and FLT3 if was cytogenetically normal
Why is APML worse than AML?
APML tend to have serious bleeding abnormalities due to low platelet count and clotting factors - at increased risk of bleeding in their brain
What is myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)?
Affects the production of myeloid cells, causing cytopenias (reduction in mature blood cell)
How does MDS progress?
Can progress slowly but can rapidly convert into AML
Loss of Y or 15+ is problematic why?
Often occurs in elderly people with no haematological disease but may also be markers of neoplastic myeloid clones (MDS/AML)
What is CML?
Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN)
What cells are overproduced in CML?
Myeloid cells
CML is well managed in what phase?
Chronic phase
What are the three phases of CML?
Chronic
Aggressive
Blast
What happens when CML switches into “blast crisis”?
It resembles acute leukaemia which is difficult to treat
Testing available for CML diagnosis
Karyotype
FISH
RT-PCR
Translocation found in almost all cases of CML
t(9;22)(q34;q11) on derivative 22 (Philadelphia chromosome)
Does t(9;22) in CML create a chimeric fusion protein?
Yes, BCR-ABL1. This has enhanced tyrosine kinase activity resulting in increased proliferation
Drug treatment that can be used in individuals with Ph+ CML
Imatinib (TKI)
In terms of monitoring what haematological malignancies can we monitor for?
Can do for all, but in Glasgow only do for CML (two transcripts) all other monitoring is sent down south
Does “blast crisis” in CML have a high mortality rate?
Yes
When does “blast crisis” occur in CML
When >30% of cells in blood/bone marrow are immature blood cells (blast cells)
When is MRD done?
When the patient is in remission
When is monitoring done?
At certain time periods after the patient has received a diagnosis and while they are receiving treatment
How is monitoring performed for CML?
RT-PCR to determine transcript and then QRT-PCR to determine level
Imatinib resistance can be primary or secondary, explain
Primary - failure to achieve a response
Secondary - acquired resistance
What are the three myeloid disease categories?
MDS
MPN
Myeloid leukaemia
Examples of myeloproliferative neoplasms
CML
Polycythaemia vera
essential thrombocythaemia
Genes mutations generally seen in MPN
JAK2, CALR, MPL
What cells are overproduced in ALL
Lymphoid cells
What age group is ALL mostly seen in
Young children
Is ALL generally a T-cell proliferation or a B-cell
B-cell
Translocation seen in 25% of ALL cases
t(12;21) ETV6;RUNX1
What is the prognosis for t(12;21) in ALL
Favourable
In ALL if children are diagnosed early whats the cure rate
Above 90%, if diagnosed early respond well
Is BCR-ABL found in ALL?
Yes, found in adults (11-30%) and in children (2-4%) has a poor prognosis in both
Does ALL have a high mortality rate in adults?
Yes
Poor prognosis abnormalities in ALL children
iAMP21 t(17;19) MLL translocations low hypodiploidy t(9;22)