Haematology PAS Flashcards
What are the Principal subtypes of leukaemia
Acute: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL),
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).
Chronic:
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML)
What is the approach to a patient with Leukocytosis?
Review smear (are abnormal cells present?) and obtain differential count.
What is the approach to patients with complaints of non-specific confusion/drowsiness?
do blood
cultures, FBC, U&E, LFT, Ca2+
, glucose, and clotting. Consider CNS bleeding—CT if in
doubt.
Explain neutropenic regimen ?
- Full barrier nursing in a side room and hand wash.
*Avoid IM injections. - Look for infection and Take swabs.
*blood ≈3—peripherally
± Hickman line
*Check vital signs 4-hrly
*Wash perineum after defecation
*Oral Candida and other infections prophylaxis are important.
What is the risk and management of of Hyperviscocity syndrome ?
leukostasis in heart, vessels and leukocytic thrombi in brain and other organs.
TX is hydroxycarbamide or leukapheresis.
Definition of DIC ?
DIC is defined as the release of procoagulants into the circulation causing widespread activation of coagulation, consuming clotting factors and platelets and increasing risk of
bleeding.
Signs of DIC ?
Bruising, bleeding, renal failure.
Laboratory markers of DIC ?
*Decreased Platelets
* Prolongation of PT; APTT due to consumption of coagulation factors.
* Decreased fibrinogen (correlates with severity)
*Increased fibrin degradation products (D-dimers).
Histology of DIC ?
*schistocytes
Treatment of DIC ?
- Replace platelets to overcome thrombocytopenia.
/L - cryoprecipitate to replace fibrinogen.
*FFP to replace coagulation factors
The commonest leukaemia with highest risk of DIC is acute pro myelocytic leukaemia: How is it treated?
all-transretinoic
acid (ATRA)
How to prevent sepsis in Leukaemia?
*Fluoroquinolone (eg ciprofl oxacin) before neutropenia gets
serious.
*Granulocyte colony stimulators (G-CSF) can increase the production of WBCs
(granulocytes) Careful during Chemotherapy.
*Herpes, pneumocystis, and CMV prophylaxis
Definition of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ?
A malignancy of lymphoid cells, affecting B- or T-lymphocyte cell lineages, arresting
maturation and promoting uncontrolled proliferation of immature blast cells, with
marrow failure and tissue infiltration
Risk factor for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ?
- Ionizing radiation during pregnancy.
*Down’s syndrome
The most common paediatric leukaemia ?
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ( CNS involvement is common)
Morphological classification of ALL?
L1, L2 and L3
L1 type ALL histology
Small
blasts with scanty cytoplasm
Histology of L2 subtype ALL?
Larger
blast cells with greater morphological variation and more abundant cytoplasm.
Histology of L3 subtype ALL?
Blasts with vacuolated basophilic cytoplasm.
What are the immunological classification of ALL?
Surface markers are used to classify ALL into:
*Precursor B-cell ALL
* T-cell ALL
* B-cell ALL.
What is the utility of cytogenic or chromosomal analysis based classification of ALL ?
To predict disease prognosis and recurrence.
Signs and symptoms of acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ?
- Marrow failure: anaemia (<Hb), Infection (< WBC), Bleeding (<platelets)
*Infiltration: Heapato and or splenomegaly, Lymphadenopathy, orchidomegaly. - CNS involvement: cranial nerve palsies and meningism.
Common infections in ALL?
*Bacterial septicaemia,
*zoster, CMV, measles,
*candidiasis, Pneumocystis pneumonia
Lab test in ALL are
- CBC look for blast cells and WBC count.
- CXR and CT chest to rule out mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
- LP to look for CNS involvement.
Management of ALL?
*SUpportive: blood and platelet transfusion. IV fluids, Alopurinol to prevent tumor lysis syndrome.
* Infections: immediate IV antibiotics + Neutropenic regimen + infection prophylaxis.
Chemotherapy for ALL remission induction?
vincristine, prednisolone, L-asparaginase + daunorubicin
Chemotherapy for remission consolidation in ALL?
HIgh to medium remission induction chemo in blocks.
What is the CNS prophylaxis of ALL ?
intrathecal (or high-dose IV) methotrexate ± CNS irradiation
Maintenance chemotherapy in ALL?
mercaptopurine (daily), methotrexate (weekly), and vincristine + prednisolone (monthly) for 2yrs.
what is meant by haematological remission of ALL ?
No evidence of leukaemia in blood + recoverning blood cells + <5% blasts in regenerating Marrow.
Prognosis of ALL?
- 70 to 90% cure in children
- 40% cure in adults, poor prognosis if t(9,22) philadalphia ALL .
- CNS presentation, low HB, significant leukocytosis or B cell ALL has poor prognosis.
- poor in philadelphia negative ALL relapse.
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) definition ?
Neoplastic proliferation of blast cells derived from marrow myeloid elements. It progresses rapidly (death in ~2 months if untreated; ~20% 3yr survival after Rx).
Incidence of Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)?
Most common acute leukaemia in adults 1/ 10,000 per year.
Risk factors for AML ?
- Prior radiation and Chemotherapy
- Down syndrome and Bloom syndrome.
- Myelodysplastic syndromes and aplastic syndromes.
Morphological classification of AML ( based on WHO histological classification, cytogenetics, and
molecular genetics)?
1)AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities
2) AML multilineage dysplasia
3) AML, therapy related
4)AML, other (subclassified as M0–M7 by maturation)
Signs and symptoms of AML?
Marrow failure and infiltration of brain, spleen, liver etc causing organomegaly and leukocytic thrombi. CNS involvement at presentation is rare.
Diagnosis in AML?
Low or increased or normal WBC + blasts at least 20%
AML itself can cause ___
Fever
Septicemia organism prediction in AML ?
Common organisms rarely and rare orgnaisms such as candidia and aspergilus causes sepsis commonly.
Remission chemotherapy in AML ?
5 cycles of daunorubicin and
cytarabine in one week blocks to induce remission.
what mutation enhances sensitivity to Cytarabine ( 20% of patients )
RAS.
ALL histology
TdT , t(12, 21) in children, t(9,22) in adults) with Philadelphia +.
Specific markers of ALL of Lymphoid cells of T cell origin ?
CD3
Specific markers of ALL of Lymphoid cells of B cell origin ?
CD19, CD20, and CD22
Bone marrow transplant (BMT) in AML ?
*Pluripotent haematopoietic stem cells are collected from the marrow. Allogeneic transplants from HLA-matched donors are indicated in refractory or relapsing disease.
Steps of Bone marrow transplant in AML?
1) destroy leuk aemic cells and the immune system by, eg cyclophosphamide + total body irradiation.
2) repopulate the marrow with donor cells infused IV.
Note: Ciclosporin ± methotrexate to prevent GVHD.
Complications of BMT in AML
- GVHD, opportunistic infections, relapse of AML and infertility.
*~ 10% mortality.
AML causes gum ?
Hypertrophy
AML causes increased plasma urate from ?
Tumor lysis syndrome.