Hematology & Oncology Flashcards
Polycythemia vera (blood cancer; bone marrow to make too many red blood cells)
- myeloproliferative disorder marked by erthrocytosis
- types:
1. Primary polycythemia (low erythropoietin)
2. Secondary polycythemia ( high erythropoietin)
Manifistation:
- increase blood viscosity (HTN, erythromelalgia, transient visual disturbance)
-increases RBC turnover ( gouty arthritis)
-Aquagenic pruritus
-bleeding
Examination:
- facial plethora (ruddy cyanosis; facial swelling and puffiness.)
- splenomegaly
Laboratroy:
- high Hg
- high leukocytes
- high platelet
- low erythropoietin
- (positive) JAK2 mutation
Complication:
- thrombosis
-myelofibrosis & acute leukemia
Treatment:
- phlebotomy
- hydroxyurea (if, increase risk of thrombus)
Extra finding:
- low ESR
- low iron
Note:
-erythromelalgia: burning cyanosis in hands/feet
- facial plethora: also seen with Cushing syndrome
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) vs. leukomoid reaction
CML:
- Caused by: BCR-ABL fusion protein
Feature:
- fatigue + weight loss + nigh sweat + abdominal fullness (splenomegaly)
Laboratory:
- severe leukocytosis (leukocytes > 100,000) + anemia ( low Hg) + high platelet
- low leukocytosis alkaline phosphate score ( low ALP) (neutrophils are cytochemically & functionally abnormal)
- Less mature: myelocytes > metamyelocytes
- presence of absolutes basophilia
Leukemoid reaction:
- caused by: severe infection
Signs:
- leukocyte count > 50, 000
- high Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (High LAP)
- more mature: metamyelocytes > myelocytes
- absence of absolute basophils
Hemophilia A or B
Inheritance:
- X-linked recessive
Feature:
- delayed/prolonged bleeding after mild trauma
1. Hemarthrosis, intramuscular hematomas
2. GI or genitourinary hematoma
3. Intracranial Hematoma
Laboratory:
1. High activated PTT
2. Normal platelet & Normal PT
3. Absent or low factor 8 (hemophilia A) or factor 9 (hemophilia B)
Treatment:
- factor replacement
-desmopressin for mild hemophilia A
Petechiae ( pinpointed red spots)
- associated with capillary rupture
- seen with platelet disorders ( lead to mucosal bleeding; GI, uterine, oropharyngeal)
Red papule (on trunk & lips)
- represent cutaneous AVM
- seen with hereditary telangiectasia ( autosomal dominant + telangiectasia + epistaxis)
Von Willebrand disease
- heavy menstrual bleeding in women
- abnormality in platelet plug formation —> lead to prolonged mucosal bleeding ( GI, uterine, oropharyngeal)
Graft vs. host disease (GVHD)
- Caused by: activation of the donor T lymphocytes
- after bone marrow transplantation (from matched HLA-siblings)
Target organs of GVHD:
- Skin: maculopapular rash in face, hand, feet
- Intestine: diarrhea + occult blood in stool
- Liver: abnormal LFT + Jaundice
Note:
- activation of host T-lymphocytes = facilitate rejection of the graft = depression of myelopoiesis (production of bone marrow) = low neutrophils for several days + increase risk of infection
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Superior Vena Cava (SVC) syndrome
- caused by: obstruction of SVC, prevent flow of blood from head/neck/ arm to right heart
- obstruction of SVC is due to: malignancy ( small cell lung cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma),
Signs:
- SOB + venous congestion + swelling of the head/ neck/ arm
Diagnosis::
- chest X-ray
- follow up with chest CT & histology ( To determine tumor type)
24- hours urinary protein excretion
- assess for nephrotic syndrome
- causes generalized edema
Measurement of albumin
- assess for liver disease
- causes generalized edema
Anemia of chronic diseases
-caused by: long term elevation of inflammatory cytokines ( hepcidin —> destroy iron channel on macrophages —> limits iron availability for erythropoiesis)
- causes Normocytic or slightly Microcytic anemia with low Reticulocyte response
Cancer pain management
Chronic cancer-related pain:
Mild (severity 1-3 out of 10)
Nonopioid:
1. Acetaminophen or NSAID
2. ± adjuvant ( Glucocorticoid, anti-depressant, anti-convulsant)
3. If inadequate relief from these medication move to short-acting opioid
Moderate to severe ( severity 4-10 out of 10)
Short acting opioid:
1. Oxycodone, morphine
2. ±nonopioid ±adjuvant
- multiple daily doses or sleep interruption or if bedtime dosing does not provide relief through out the night :
Long-acting opioid:
- Extended release morphine, fentanyl patch
- ±nonopioid ± adjuvant
+ short acting opioid for breakthrough pain
Upper extremity DVT
- in young + athletic men who lift weight or engage in activities that involves repetitive overhead arm motion (pitching a baseball game)
-sign: acute arm swelling + heaviness + pain + worst with arm elevation/ improved with arm rest
- diagnosis: duplex or doppler U/S
- treatment: thrombolysis &/or 3 months of anti-coagulation
Vitamin B deficiency
- caused by: pernicious anemia (antibody-mediated destruction of intrinsic factor)
- complication: gastric cancer
Signs: - macrocytic anemia (lightheadedness + palpitation)
- glossitis ( smooth tongue)
- lower extremity neurologic finding ( paresthesia + diminished reflexes)
Hemochromatosis
Signs:
- skin hyperpigmentation
- MSK pain
- GI: hepatomegaly ( early), cirrhosis (late), hepatocellular carcinoma ( complication)
-endocrine: DM, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism
- cardiac: restrictive cardiomyopathy
- infection: listeria, Vibrio, Yersinia
Notes:
- hemochromatosis should be considered in patient with abnormal LFT enzymes + diabetes + hyperpigmentation
Long-standing mediastinal lymphadenopathy
- follicular lymphoma ( type of non-hodgkin lymphoma of elderly people)
- present as: non-painful peripheral lymphadenopathy for years in the (cervical, axillary, inguinal region)
- waxing & waning lymphadenopathy
- hilar/mediastinal lymphadenopathy are usually seen
- No B symptoms + No laboratory abnormality
Diagnosis:
- excisional lymph node biopsy
- translocation between chr. 14 & 18 (over-expression of BCL-2; oncogenic that prevent apoptosis)
The distal vs proximal deep vein thrombosis
- distal DVT (calf veins): normally dont lead to PE, & usually resolved
- proximal DVT ( femoral & popliteal veins): usually lead to PE
- PE: (pleuritic chest pain, tachycardia, hypoxemia ..)
- Pulmonary HTN ( acute chest pain + tachycardia + S2)
Fulminant infection in asplenic patient
- pneumococcal pneumonia = fever + tachycardia + hypotension + tachypnea
- patient with asplenia are at high risk for fluminant infection with encapsulated organisms ( due to impaired antibody-facilitated phagocytosis)
- these patients should be immunized with: pneumococcal, meningococcal, & H influenza type B vaccine + take oral antibiotics early in the course of any febrile illness
Hodgkin lymphoma
- young patient
Signs:
- painless hilar/ mediastinal lymphadenopathy in cervical or supraclavicular or mediastinal mass
- B-symptoms ( fever, night sweats, weight loss)
Diagnosis:
- excisional lymph node biopsy
- no evidence of clear peripheral lymphadenopathy of physical examination —> undergo (PET scan with 18-FDG) —> identify area of enhanced metabolic activity (cancer, infection) —> also, will pool in area of high glucose: brain, liver, kidney, urinary collecting system due to radiotracer excretion
Iron study in microcytic anemia
Iron deficiency: (high TIBG)
- low iron
- low MCV
- high TIBG (total iron binding capacity )
- low ferritin
- low transferrin saturation (iron/TIBG)
- in men, it is associated with chronic GI blood loss
Thalassemia ( high iron, ferritin, transferrin)
- high iron
- low low MCV
- low TIBG
- high ferritin
- High high transferrin
Anemia of chronic diseases: ( normal/high ferritin)
- low iron
- normal/low MCV
- low TIBG
- normal/ high ferritin
- normal/low transferrin
Leukemia
( ALL, AML , CLL, CML)
- WBC cancer
- classified by (myeloid or lymphoid)
- types:
1. Acute: - acute lymphocytic leukemia
- acute myeloid leukemia
- Chronic:
- chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- chronic myeloid leukemia
Blood stem cell
- Myeloid stem cell
- RBC
- platelet
- myeloblast —> granulocytes —> basophil, eosinophil, neutrophil - Lymphoid stem cell
- lymphoblast —> B lymphocyte (plasma cell), T lymphocyte, Nk cells
AML vs CML —> involves myeloid stem cell
- AML:
- Involves myeloblast - CML:
- involves Granulocytes —> basophil, predominant neutrophil, eosinophil
Notes:
- mostly in 50-60 years old (middle age)
ALL vs. CLL —> involves lymphoid stem cell
- ALL:
- involves lymphoblast (lymphoid precursor cells in bone marrow)
- seen in children
- most common childhood malignancy - CLL:
- involves predominant B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte, Nk cells
- seen in elderly patients ( >70 years)
- Acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL)
- involves lymphoblast (lymphoid precursor cells in bone marrow)
- seen in children
- most common childhood malignancy
clinical: —> (Anemia, Lumpy, Limping)
1. Hepatomegaly/ splenomegaly
2. Lymphadenopathy
3. Fever
4. Hematologic abnormality —> thrombocytopenia (petechiae, purpura) & anemia ( fatigue, pallor)
5. MSK pain ( limping, can’t bare weight)
diagnosis:
1. CBC with diff: pancytopenia —> anemia (low Hg), thrombocytopenia ( low platelet), WBC derangement ( low, normal or high WBC count)
- Bone marrow Biopsy —> more than 20% lymphoblast
Treatment:
- Chemo ( highly responsive to chemo)
- CNS preventative therapy (Intrathecal Methotrexate) —> (because ALL can hide in CNS & lead to leukemic meningitis)
- Acute Myeloid leukemia (AML)
- most common type of acute leukemia in adults
- subtypes:
1. Acute pro-myelocytic leukemia (APL) ( m3 variant) - myeloperoxidase positive stain
- Auer rods ( rod stick out of cytoplasm)
- Vitamin A ( All trans-retinoic acid) ( in addition to chemo treatment)
Clinical:
1. Fatigue ( proceed disease by # of months)
2. Pallor/ weakness ( related to anemia)
3. Infection ( related to neutropenia)
Diagnosis:
1. CBC with diff: pancytopenia ( anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia)
- Bone marrow biopsy —> more than 20% myeloblast
Treatment:
1. Chemo
2. Add vitamin A to chemo regimen if APL subtypes
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia ( CLL)
- mature B-cell neoplasm involving a progressive accumulation of monoclonal B lymphocytes
- older adults ( median age of diagnosis is 70)
Clinical: ( Lumpy)
- Asymptomatic
- Fatigue
- Lymphadenopathy
- Splenomegaly/ hepatomegaly
Diagnosis:
1. CBC with peripheral smear: (absolute lymphocytosis > 5000)
- Smudge cells (crushed little lymphocytes)
Treatment:
1. Asymptomatic —> observe only
2. Symptomatic —> chemo or stem-cell transplant
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
- Seen in middle age patients (50-60)
- myeloproliferative neoplasm with uninhibited proliferation granulocytes
Patho:
- Associated with a reciprocal translocation between Chr. 9 & 22 that give rise to an abnormal chromosome called —> Philadelphia chromosome
Clinical:
- asymptomatic
- splenomegaly
- fatigue
- weight loss
- fever
Diagnosis:
- CBC: leukocytosis with neutrophil predominance ( neutrophilia)
Treatment:
- tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (Imatinib) (target over-expression of Tyrosine-kinase in CML)
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (Imatinib)
- for treatment of CML
CNS prophylaxis ( Intrathecal Methotrexate)
- used in ALL
Smudge cell seen in
- CLL
Philadelphia chromosome (9 & 22 reciprocal translocation)
- seen in CML
Auer rod, & positive stained myeloperoxidase seen in. ?
- seen with APL ( M3 variant) subtype of AML
Thrombocytopenia ( ITP, TTP, HUS, DIC, HIT)
Sickle cell disease
- In sickle cell disease, the hemoglobin is abnormal, causing the red blood cells to be rigid and shaped like a “C” or sickle, the shape from which the disease takes its name. Sickle cells can get stuck and block blood flow, causing pain and infections.
- The worst complications include stroke, acute chest syndrome (a condition that lowers the level of oxygen in the blood), organ damage, other disabilities, and in some cases premature death.
Hereditary spherocytosis (HS)
- autosomal dominant
- northern European descent
Clinical:
- hemolytic anemia
- jaundice
- splenomegaly
Findings:
1. increase MCHC
2. negative coombs test
3. spherocytes on peripheral smear ( small round RBC without central pallor)
4. increase osmotic fragility on acidified glycerol lysis test
5. abnormal eosin-5-maleimide binding test
Complication:
- pigment gallstone
Treatment:
1. Folic acid supplement
2. Blood transfusion
3. Splenectomy
Hemoglobin A2 level
- in patient with beta thalassemia trait
Hemoglobin F seen with
- Sickle cell anemia
- Beta thalassemia
- Congenital aplastic anemia
- Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin
** no spherocytosis seen with these conditions
G6PD
-Caused by: infection, sulfa drugs, fava bean, dapsone, primaquine
Clinical:
- pallor/fatigue
- dark urine, jaundice, icterus
- abdominal pain/ back pain
Laboratory:
1. Hemolysis: low Hg, low haptoglobin, high bilirubin, high LDH, high reticulocytes
- Peripheral smear: bite cells & heinz bodies
- Negative coombs test
- Low G6PD activity level
Management:
1. Remove or treat responsible agent/ condition
- Provide supportive care
low Hg, low haptoglobin, high bilirubin, high LDH, high reticulocytes
Indicates hemolysis
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)
(Osler-Weber- Rendu Syndrome)
- autosomal dominant
- lead to diffused telangiectasia ( ruby-colored papules that blanch with pressure)
- composed of dilated capillaries and veins in the skin, mouth, respiratory system, GI system and urinary tract. Sometimes these can rupture, causing nosebleeds, GI bleeding or hematuria
Clinical:
1. Recurrent nose bleed
2. Oral lesions
3. Widespread AVM ( mucous membrane, skin, GI tract, liver, brain , lung)
—> AVM in the lung shunt blood from the right to the left side of the heart —> causing chronic hypoxemia + digital clubbing + reactive polycythemia
- High hematocrit
Polycythemia Vera
- myeloproliferative disorders
Clinical:
- increase production of all 3 blood cell lines
- splenomegaly
- median age is 60
Pulmonary HTN & polycythemia commonly co-exist
- polycythemia lead to pulmonary HTN —> increasing blood viscosity within pulmonary vasculature —> lead to chronic hypoxemia
Vitamin C or Vitamin K
- lead to bleeding
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
- lead to pulmonary AVM associated with hemoptysis & right-to-left shunt
- patient have recurrent nose bleed & oral lesion
Folate deficiency
- seen with alcohol use disorder
- result in folate deficiency within 5-10 weeks
- develop megaloblastic anemia with macrocytosis ( increase MCV > 110) + mild thrombocytopenia + mild leukcytopenia
Alcohol use disorder
- lead to megaloblastic anemia
- lead to folate deficiency more common than vitamin B12 deficiency —> due to little body stores of folate
- related to vitamin B 12 deficiency in older patient with disorder of the stomach ( pernicious anemia, atrophic gastritis) or small intestine that impair absorption
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
Risk factor:
- obesity (> 35)
- respiratory symptoms ( snoring, gasping for air)
- erectile dysfunction, arterial HTN
Patho:
- Transient airway obstruction —> short period ( 20-40 sec) of apnea/hypoxia —> reduction in blood oxygen —> kidney response to hypoxemia by increasing EPO —> Stimulates bone marrow to release more RBC —> Lead to elevated hematocrit
Notes:
Hypoxemia —> elevated EPO —> elevated hematocrit
Polycythemia
-polycythemia —> increase RBC + increase hematocrit
- Absolute polycythemia (erythrocytosis)
- due to increase RBC mass
- seen with:
- primary ( polycythemia vera) —> low EPO
- secondary (due to chronic hypoxia or EPO- producing tumor/ renal cell carcinoma, chronic CO toxicity) —> high EPO
—> chronic hypoxia lead to kidney producing more EPO —> Stimulates bone marrow to produce more RBC —> Elevated hematocit
- Relative polycythemia
- due to reduced plasma volume ( abnormal BUN/Cr)
Testosterone excess —> lead to erythrocytosis ( absolute polycythemia = increase RBC mass)
- treat with positive airway pressure to improve sexual function
Hemolytic anemia —> caused by G6PD
Finding
- increase reticulocyte
- increase bilirubin
- increase LDH
- Decrease Hg
- Decrease heptiglubin
Can develop after patient taking (Dapsone/primaquine/ TM-SMX/nitrofurantoin) due to G6PD deficiency —> lead to oxidative injury to RBC
Mechanism:
- lysed erythrocytes —> release heme into circulation
1. Hyperbilirubinemia: heme —> bilirubin —> jaundice + scleral icterus
- Hemoglobinuria: heme excreted in urine —> dark urine + false-positive urine dipstick for blood
Immune complex deposition causes membranous glomerulonephritis
Lead to:
1. hematuria + dysmorphic RBC on urinalysis
Caused by:
1. Chronic infection: hepatitis B or C
2. Rheumatic disease ( SLE)
3. Monoclonal gammopathy ( Multiple myeloma)
Sideroblastic anemia
- defective heme synthesis
- lead to: pyridoxine- dependent impairment in the early steps of proto-porphyrin synthesis within mitochondria
- types: congenital or acquired
- acquired form is caused by: alcohol, nutrition, medication ( isoniazid/ INH in treatment of TB—> vitamin B6/pyridoxine antagonist)
Finding:
1. Increase iron + Decrease TIBG
2. Microcytic anemia
3. Low MCHC (hypochromic)
4. High ESR
Diagnosis:
- bone marrow biopsy: shows ring sideroblast ( iron deposits in the periphery of mitochondria)
Treatment:
- vitamin B6/pyridoxine administration