Hematology

Question 1

Differentiate alpha thalassemia trait from Beta thalassemia minor

Answer 1

Patients with β-thalassemia minor also have a chronic microcytic anemia and a normal electrophoretic pattern for hemoglobin A. But in β-thalassemia, the excess α chains link with δ and γ chains to produce increased amounts of hemoglobin A2 and hemoglobin F, respectively.

Question 2

Multiple myeloma

Answer 2

IgM monoclonal gammopathy, plasma cell proliferation on bone marrow biopsy, and clinical findings consistent with myeloma, (hypercalcemia, renal impairment, anemia, and lytic bone lesions) classically distinguished the rare diagnosis of IgM MM from the more common WM

Question 3

Leukemia that requires cns ppx

Answer 3

. Unlike in AML, central nervous system prophylaxis is essential during ALL therapy, and a maintenance phase of oral mercaptopurine (daily) and methotrexate (weekly) can extend up to 2 years.

Question 4

Hemolytic uremic syndrome

Answer 4

hemolytic uremic syndrome is a diarrhea-associated syndrome of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury caused by Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli and, less commonly, Shigella dysenteriae.

Question 5

Imatinib

Answer 5

Imatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is effective in treating patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and dysregulated tyrosine kinase as a result of the BCR-ABL fusion gene.

Question 6

MDS treatment for those requiring frequent transfusions

Answer 6

In patients with myelodysplastic syndrome requiring frequent transfusions, supplemental treatments to help decrease transfusion requirements, such as lenalidomide, should be used to improve quality of life and decrease transfusion-associated iron overload and alloimmunization.

Question 7

Heparin MOA

Answer 7

Heparin achieves its anticoagulant effect through antithrombin. The heparin-antithrombin complex then inactivates thrombin, activated factor X (fXa), and other activated clotting factors. If the amount of available antithrombin is decreased, a reduced response to heparin is seen.

Question 8

Treatment for castrate-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer

Answer 8

In men with clinical metastatic prostate cancer that is castrate sensitive, docetaxel along with continuation of androgen deprivation therapy has been shown to improve survival and is accepted as standard care.

Question 9

Ovarian cancer next steps

Answer 9

Current guidelines recommend BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing for all women with epithelial ovarian cancer, regardless of age of onset, family history, or ancestry.