Haematology Flashcards
Define Multiple Myeloma.
Malignant proliferation of plasma cells accumulating in the bone marrow.
What is the result of Malignant Myeloma?
Overproduction of Ig or Ig fragments (paraprotein) causing:
- Dysfunction of many organs (esp. kidneys)
- Bone marrow failure
- Destructive bone disease
- Hypercalcaemia
What is a major characteristic of Malignant Myeloma?
Excess secretion of a monoclonal antibody.
What is a paraprotein?
Abnormal immunoglobulins produced by clonal plasma cells.
Can be intact immunoglobulins or parts of immunoglobulins (usually light chains).
Describe the pathophysiology of Malignant Myeloma.
Development of a malignant clone of plasma cells → secretes excess amounts of monoclonal antibody.
This is due to cytogenetic abnormalities.
What is the clinical presentation of Multiple Myeloma related to?
Infiltration of plasma cells and secretion of monoclonal antibodies.
What are the signs and symptoms of Multiple Myeloma?
CRAB:
- hyperCalcaemia
- Renal impairment
- Anaemia
- Bone lesions (aka lytic lesions eg. osteoporosis)
How does bone disease arise in multiple myeloma?
- Proliferation in bone marrow
- Lytic lesions
- Fractures
How does impaired renal function arise in multiple myeloma?
Light chain nephropathy.
How does anaemia arise in multiple myeloma?
- Bone marrow destruction by proliferation of malignant plasma cells
- Renal disease can contribute to EPO deficiency
How does hypercalcaemia arise in multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma-induced bone demineralisation.
How does recurrent/persistent- bacterial infection arise in multiple myeloma?
- Immune dysfunction and hypogammaglobulinemia
- Suppression of normal plasma cell function
What investigations are ordered for someone with suspected multiple myeloma?
- Bloods
- Protein electrophoresis
- Urine protein electrophoresis
- Serum light free chains
- Bone marrow aspirate/biopsy
- Skeletal survery
- CT/MRI
- Beta-2 microglobulin
What bloods results would be indicative of multiple myeloma?
- FBC - marrow failure
- ESR - raise
- Blood film - Rouleaux formation
- U&Es - raised urea and creatinine
- Hypercalcaemia
What protein electrophoresis and immunofixation results are indicative of multiple myeloma?
- Increased number of antibodies
- Monoclonal protein band
What urine protein electrophoresis results are indicative of multiple myeloma?
Bence Jones’ protein - monoclonal light chains
What serum free light chains results are indicative of multiple myeloma?
Ratio of light chains kappa and lamda.
What bone marrow aspirate/biopsy is indicative of multiple myeloma?
Increased plasma cell.
What skeletal survey (X-ray) results are indicative of multiple myeloma?
Lytic lesions:
- Pepperpot skull
- Vertebral collapse
- Lytic punches out lesions
- Fracture risk
What CT/MRI results are indicative of multiple myeloma?
Lesions (may be unidentified by X-ray)
What is the relevance of β2 micro-globulin?
Prognostic indicator.
What is the principle behind treatment of multiple myeloma?
It is incurable → treatment aims to increase periods of disease remission.
What are the 4 key areas of management of multiple myeloma?
- Induction therapy
- Autologous stem cell transplantation
- Maintenance
- Relapse/refractory disease
What is induction therapy in multiple myeloma?
- Initial treatment option
- Combination of 3 drugs
Choice is dependant on high-risk features, co-morbidities and plan for ASCT.
What is ASCT in multiple myeloma?
- Transplant is the best option for long periods of remission
- Stem cells are mobilised, harvested and stored
- High dose chemotherapy
- Stem cells re-infused
What is maintenance in multiple myeloma?
- Bortezomin/lenalidomide
- Maintain disease remission for as long as possible
What is the scoring system for multiple myeloma?
International Staging System (ISS)for myeloma, divides patients into three groups (I, II, III) based on serum beta-2 microglobulin and albumin levels.
- Stage I: median survival 62 months
- Stage II: median survival 44 months
- Stage III: median survival of 29 months
Define Lymphoma.
Disorders caused by malignant proliferation of lymphocytes.
Accumulate in lymph nodes causing lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes)
What are the sub-types of lymphoma?
Histologically divided into:
- Hodgkins lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkins lymphoma
Describe the aetiology of Lymphoma.
- Primary immunodeficiency (eg. Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Secondary immunodeficiency (eg. HIV, transplant)
- Infection (eg. EBV, helicobacter pylori)
- Autoimmune disorders
Describe the pathophysiology of Lymphoma.
Not well understood, development is thought to be multi-factorial, with infection, genetic factors, and environmental exposures all potentially involved.
What symptoms are associated with Lymphoma?
- Non-tender lymphadenopathy
- Mediastinal lymphadenopathy (with breathing difficulties)
- Symptoms of compression syndromes
- General systemic ‘B’ symptoms
- Liver and spleen enlargement
What is the triad of B symptoms?
- Weight loss
- Night sweats
- Malaise
What are the Ann Arbor Classificaction for the diagnosis of Lymphoma?
- Stage I → single lymph node region
- Stage II → two or more nodal areas on same side of diaphragm
- Stage III → nodes on both sides of diaphragm
- Stage IV → spread beyond lymph nodes, e.g. liver or bone marrow
What other organs might lymphoma affect?
- Blood
- Liver
- Spleen
- Bone marrow
What are the two types of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
- Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Nodular lymphocyte predominates Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NLPHL)
Histologically - what is needed for a specific diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (vs. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma)?
Presence of Reed-Sternberg cells or NLPHL variant.
What are the risk factors associated with Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
- Affected sibling
- EBV
- SLE
- Obesity
- Post-transplantation
What are the common clinical presentations of Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
- Painless cervical lymphadenopathy and B symptoms (weight loss, fever, night sweats)
- Disease localised to mediastinum often presents with cough due to mediastinal lymphadenopathy
- Hepatosplenomegaly
What are the emergency clinical presentations of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
- Infection
- SVC obstruction
- Increased JVP
- Dyspnoea
- Blackouts
- Facial oedema
How is Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosed?
- Lymph node excision or bone marrow biopsy
- Bloods
- CT/MRI of chest, abdomen and pelvis for staging
What is the treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
- Stage I-A to II-A (less than 3 areas)
- Short course of ABVD followed by radiotherapy - Stage II-A to IV-B
- Longer courses of ABVD
ABVD = combination chemotherapy (Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine)
What complications are associated with the treatment of Lymphoma?
- Chemotherapy
- Myelosuppression
- Nausea
- Alopecia
- Infection
- Infertility - Radiotherapy
- Increased risk of secondary malignancies
- Increased risk of IHD
Hypothyroidism
- Lung fibrosis
What is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
All lymphomas without Reed-Sternberg cells; 80% B cell origin and 20% T cell origin.
How is Non-Hodgkin’s graded in terms of severity?
- Low grade (eg. Follicular Lymphoma)
- High grade (eg. Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma)
- Very High Grade (eg. Burkitt’s Lymphoma)
Describe the clinical presentation of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
- Nodal disease
- Extranodal disease
- Systemic B symptoms
- Pancytopenia
What is the prognosis of low-grade Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma?
- Slow growing
- Advanced at presentation
- Incurable
- Median survival: 10 years
Describe the prognosis of high-grade Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma?
- Nodal presentation
- Presents earlier than low grade
- Often curable
- Aggressive (can make patient very unwell)
What is involved in the diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
- Raised lactose dehydrogenase (worse prognosis)
- Lymph node excision or bone marrow biopsy
- CT/MRI of chest, abdomen, and pelvis for staging
- Immunophenotyping and cytogenetics
What is the treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma?
- Radiotherapy
- Combined chemotherapy (R-CHOP)
- Monoclonal antibodies
R-CHOP = Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Hydroxy-Daunorubicin, Vincristine, Prednisolone
What are Myelodysplastic Syndromes?
Myelo = marrow
Dysplastic = abnormal
Bone marrow cells fail to make adequate numbers of healthy blood cells (both quantity and quality of cells).
What is Acute Myeloid Leukaemia?
The neoplastic proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells.
Characterised by the rapid growth of abnormal cells that build up in the bone marrow and blood and interfere with normal blood cell production.