Haematology Flashcards
Where does myeloma start?
Plasma cell
Describe plasma cells
- Usually reside in bone marrow
- Fully differentiated B cell
- Easily recognisable
- Produce immunoglobulins
Describe the plasma cell in myeloma
Cloned malignant plasma cells all producing same immunoglobulin in massive quantities
What is MGUS?
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
Name 3 plasma cell diseases
- Plasmocytomas
- Waldenstroms macroglobulinaemia
- MGUS
What does MGUS involve?
IgM
What is the end organ damage in myeloma?
CRAB
- Calcium
- Renal
- Anaemia
- Bone disease
Give 6 symptoms of myeloma
- Anaemia
- Fatigue
- Bone pain (esp. back)
- Hypercalcaemia
- High ESR
- Lytic bone lesions/CRAB
What is CRAB associated with?
- Infection
- Hyperviscosity
- Amyloidosis
What does myeloma look like under microscope?
Rouleaux (basophilic, accentuated nucleus)
What is the main cause of death in myeloma?
Infection
Why does hyperviscosity occur in myeloma?
Excessive protein in blood causes it to thicken
What are the causes of immune deficiency in myeloma?
- Immunoglobulin deficiency
- Neutropenia
- Chemo/steroids
- Immobility
- Renal failure
Which gene is most often associated with myeloma?
T(11;14)
What are the signs of amyloidosis?
- Swelling of limbs
- Nephrotic syndrome
- HF
What is the Tx aim for myeloma?
Achieve a plateau phase, control symptoms and supportive measures
What Tx are used for myeloma?
- Radiotherapy - spot welding
- Chemo/steroids/biphosphonates
- Palliative care
What are the 4 types of leukaemia?
- Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
What are the common symptoms of leukaemia?
- Symptomatic anaemia e.g. fatigue
- Symptomatic thrombocytopenia e.g. bruising
- Symptomatic low WCC e.g. recurrent infections
- Symptomatic high WCC e.g. leukostasis or tumour lysis
What is the presentation of leukostasis?
- Seen on CXR lungs
- SOB
- Renal impairment
What is the presentation of tumour lysis?
- AKI
- Hyperkalaemia
- Hypophosphataemia
- Raised LDH
What is the DDx for leukaemia?
- Acute leukaemia
- Haematological disorder
- Severe sepsis
- Post-operative reactive changes
What % of cytopenias are blasts?
20%
What is the DDx for cytopenia?
- Haematinic deficiency
- Immune
- Consumption
- Infections
- Comorbidities e.g. renal impairment
- Bone marrow infiltration
What is the investigation for leukaemia?
- FBC, LFT, U&E
2. Bone marrow aspirate and trephine biopsy (>20% blasts)
How is acute leukaemia classified?
Bone marrow contains >20% blasts/leukaemic cells
How is chronic leukaemia classified?
- Clonal mature cells
- High WCC
- Pt. are less unwell at presentation
What is leukaemia?
Malignant proliferation of haematopoietic cells
How is leukaemia diagnosed?
- Blood film
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Lymph node biopsy
- Immunophenotyping
- Genetics e.g. FISH, PCR
AML makes up what % of childhood leukaemia?
10-15%
What groups are at higher risk of AML?
- Preceding haematological disorders
- Prior chemo
- Exposure to ionising radiation
What is the median age for AML?
85-89
What is the treatment for AML?
- Supportive care
- Chemo
- Transplantation
What is the supportive Tx for AML?
- HML
- Blood product support
- Prompt Tx of infections
- Recognition of atypical/unusual infections
What must be considered prior to chemo?
- Fertility cryopreservation
- Clinical trial availability
- Bystander damage to other organs
Name 2 chemotherapy drugs for AML
- Anthracycline
2. Cytarabine
Name 4 side effects of chemotherapy
- Nausea/vomiting
- Altered bowel habit
- Reduced fertility
- Loss of appetite
What non-curative Tx are available for AML?
- Azacytidine
2. Low dose SC cytarabine
What supportive measures are used for AML?
- Red cell transfusion
- Platelet transfusion
- Abx
What personalised Tx can be used for leukaemia?
CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cells)
What transplant is used for AML?
Allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Name 4 post-transplant complications
- Hickman line infection
- Cutaneous graft vs host disease
- Jaundice
- Hormone dysfunction
What are the cure rates of AML?
20-60% depending on age
What is the usual age of onset in CML?
40-60yr
What are the clinical features of CML?
- Splenomegaly
- Metabolic features
- High WCC
- Film: left shift and basophilia
What gene is associated with CML?
Philadelphia chromosome: t(9;22)
What is the Tx for CML?
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
- Imatinib
- Nilotinib
What are the complications of CML?
- Risk of accelerated phase/blast crisis
2. TKI binding site mutations
What is the most common paediatric malignancy?
ALL (3-7yr)
What is the presentation of ALL?
- Bone marrow failure
2. Organ infiltration (CNS)
What are the Tx phases for ALL?
- Induction
- Consolidation
- Delayed intensification
- Maintenance
What is the Tx for ALL?
- CNS directed therapy
2. Stem cell transplant
What is the most common leukaemia?
CLL
What is the pathophysiology of CLL?
Gradual accumulation of B lymphocytes
What are the clinical features of CLL?
- Progressive lymphadenopathy
- Haemolysis
- Bone marrow failure
- Hypogammaglobinaemia
What is the Tx for CLL?
- Chemo
- Monoclonal antibodies e.g. rituximab
- Targeted therapy e.g. ibrutinib
- Bone marrow transplant
What is lymphoma?
A malignant growth of white blood cells
What are the causes of lymphoma?
- Primary immunodeficiency
- Secondary immunodeficiency
- Infection
- Autoimmune disorders
What is the pathophysiology of lymphoma?
- Impaired immunosurveillance of EBV infected cells
2. Infected B cells escape regulation and proliferate autonomously
Give 5 symptoms of lymphoma
- Enlarged lymph glands
- Extranodal disease
- Lymph oedema
- Fever
- Weight loss
How is lymphoma diagnosed?
- Blood film
- Bone marrow
- Lymph node biopsy
- Immunophenotyping - CD20 on B lymphocytes
- Cytogenics e.g. FISH
- PCR
What investigations are used to stage lymphoma?
- Bloods
- CT chest/abdo/pelvis
- Bone marrow biopsy
- PET
What are the lymphoma subtypes?
- Hodgkin’s
2. Non-Hodgkin’s
What is the presentation of Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
- Painless lymphadenopathy
2. B symptoms e.g. sweats, weight loss
What confirms Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis?
Reed-Sternberg cell
What is the Tx for stage 1-2A lymphoma?
Short course combination chemo followed by radiotherapy