Haematology Acute leukaemias Flashcards
Leukaemia Biology and General Features →
Clonal Proliferation of malignant blood cells derived from primitive haemopoitic stem cells in bone marrow. Uncontrolled expansion of hypofunctional cells in blood, bone marrow and other organs leads to suppression of normal haemopoiesis.
Main clinical problems include
- Anaemia
- Bleeding and susc/L with blast cells visible on the peipheral eptibility to infection
- Lymphadenopathy
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Skin and CNS infiltration
Acute Leukaemia types
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Acute Leukaemia definition
- Proliferation of primitive immature blast cells
* Rapid onset and progression if untreated
Chronic Leukaemia types
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia
* Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Chronic Leukaemia definition
- Proliferation of more mature precursor cells
* Slower progression and less aggressive course
Aetiopathogenesis of Leukemia → Endogenous factors
Chromosome fragility syndromes
Downs syndrome
Hereditary immune deficiency
Familial
Aetiopathogenesis of Leukemia → Exogenous factors
Radiation Chemotherapy Benzene Viral infection Acquired immune deficiency
Aetiopathogenesis of Leukemia →
Haemopoeitic stem cell Clonal initiation Clonal expansion Suppression of normal haemopoiesis Clonal regression (expanding sub-clones) Clinical leukaemia
(AML) Target population
Commoner in adults (old age is very common)
(AML) Incidence
1:10,000 annually
(AML) Frequency/Age distribution
Increases with age (median >70 yr)
(AML) Presentation
May be de novo or secondary to other haematological disorders e.g. myelodysplasia, myeloproliferative disorders
(AML) Prognosis (brief)
Curable with potentially a near to normal life as before
(AML) Morphology
Lots of blasts in marrow
Primitive nuclei with a high Nuclei:Cytoplasm ratio
Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia with t (15;17) → Urgency
Urgent – this is a true haematological emergency
If you survive the first 48 hours – there I a good prognosis
Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia with t (15;17) → Pathophysiology
Granules released causing coagulopathy and potentially CNS ischemia = death
Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia with t (15;17) → Major investigations
FBC
Bone marrow
Flow cytometry
Cytogenetics
Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia with t (15;17) → FBC shows
Low hB and platelet count
WBC usually 20-100 x 109/L
Blast cells visible on the peripheral blood film