Haematological Malignancies Flashcards
Describe the epidemiology of haematological malignancies?
(sex, age)
Males > Females
All age groups, including children
List the 6 most common cancers?
- Breast
- Prostate
- Lung
- Bowel
- Melanoma skin cancer
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Leukaemia and myeloma makes top 20 list
What is the most common group of blood cancers?
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Describe the pathogenesis of haematological malignancies?
- Acquired (NOT CONGENITAL) genetic alterations in a long lived cell
- Such as stem cell
- Proliferation/survival advantage to that mutated cell
- Produces malignant clone
- Malignant clone grows to dominate the tissue (such as bone marrow or lymph nodes)
How do stem cells divide?
Stem cells are self-renewal:
- When stem cell divides, one of the daughter cells are retained
- The other develops into another cell
Describe the growth of malignant stem cells?
- One cell is genetically altered over time
- Risk factors – radiation exposure, genetic congenital abnormality such as Down Syndrome
- This at first, after one mutation, is asymptomatic
- But with time a further mutation occurs and grows
- This continues, 3, 4, 5 mutations, then eventually the disease takes of as due to big growth advantage dominates the normal cells
What are risk factors for genetic alterations to cells?
- Risk factors – radiation exposure, genetic congenital abnormality such as Down Syndrome
How can haematological malignanices be grouped?
- Myeloid malignancies
- Acute myeloid leukaemia
- Myeloproliferative disorders
- Lymphoid malignancies
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
- Mature lymphoid malignancies
What are examples of myeloid malignancies?
- Acute myeloid leukaemia
- Myeloproliferative disorders
What are examples of lymphoid malignancies?
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
- Mature lymphoid malignancies
What does AML stand for?
Acute myeloid leukaemia
Describe the pathophysiology of AML?
- Genetic alterations happen to the myeloid progenitor
- So they divide and remain immature, never developing into mature blood cells
- Replace bone marrow
Describe the pathophysiology of myeloproliferative disorders?
- Genetic alteration occurs after stem cell stage after differentiate so lots of mature cells such as red blood cells or another blood cell
What does ALL stand for?
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Describe the pathophysiology of ALL?
- Genetic alterations occur to lymphoid progenitor stem cell
- Which divides and does not differentiate further