Haematological malignancy overview Flashcards
What two things are characteristic of malignant haemopoiesis?
Increased numbers of abnormal + dysfunctional cells
Loss of normal activity
What 3 things can cause haematological malignancy?
Increased proliferation in the absence of a stimulus
Lack of differentiation / maturation
Lack of apoptosis
What causes haematological malignancies?
Genetic, epigenetic and environmental interactions
Acquired somatic mutations in regulatory genes
What is meant by a ‘clone’ in pathology?
A population of cells derived from a single parent cell
What is normal haemopoiesis classed as?
Polyclonal
What is malignant haemopoiesis classed as?
Monoclonal
Why are there different haematological malignancy sub-types?
Cells at different developmental stages undergo neoplastic transformation
Which tests are useful in the diagnosis of haematological malignancy?
Immunophenotyping / immunohistochemistry
What four factors are considered when classifying cancers of the haemopoietic and lymphoid systems?
Anatomical site
Lineage
Stage of development / histology
Preservation of differentiation / maturation
What type of lymphomas are histologically and clinically aggressive?
Acute leukaemias
High grade lymphomas
What type of lymphomas are least aggressive histologically and clinically?
Chronic leukaemias
Low grade lymphomas
What are features of histological aggression in haematological malignancy?
Large cells with high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio
Prominent nucleoli
Rapid proliferation
How do acute leukaemias typically present?
With failure of normal blood cell production
Why should we be careful when considering chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
It often involves blood and lymph nodes
What is a malignancy that originates in the marrow / blood referred to as?
Leukaemia
What is a malignancy that originates in the lymph node / other sites referred to as?
Lymphoma
What does ‘blastic’ mean in malignant haematology?
The malignancy is in primitive cells where there is a maturation arrest
What does ‘cytic’ mean in malignant haematology?
The malignancy is occurring in mature cells
What is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
A blood / marrow involving primitive lymphoid malignancy
What is acute myeloid leukaemia?
A blood / marrow involving primitive myeloid malignancy
What is chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
A blood / marrow involving, less primitive lymphoid malignancy
What is high grade B / T cell lymphoma?
A nodal, lymphoid malignancy that is less primitive and clinically aggressive
What is low grade B cell lymphoma?
A nodal lymphoid malignancy that is less primitive and less clinically aggressive
What is Hodgkin lymphoma?
A nodal lymphoid malignancy that is less primitive and less aggressive
