L89-L92 - Hematopathology I-IV Flashcards
How are hematopoietic neoplasms classified?
- State of maturity of the neoplastic cells (acute = very immature = blasts vs. chronic = differentiated = mature)
- Cell type involved (Lymphoid vs. Myeloid)
What neoplasms are included in the Acute classification?
- Lymphoid: acute lymphoblastic leukemia
2. Myeloid: acute myeloid leukemia
What neoplasms are included in the Chronic classification?
- Lymphoid: chronic leukemias, lymphomas, and plasma cell disorders
- Myeloid: myeloproliferative disorders
What are leukemias?
Malignant neoplasms of the hematopoietic cells characterized by diffuse replacement of the bone marrow by neoplastic cells; these cells usually spill over into the peripheral blood
What are lymphomas?
Proliferations arising as discrete tissue masses
How are ALL and AML similar?
Both have an accumulation of neoplastic blast cells. These suppress normal hematopoiesis, leading to anemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.
What are the clinical features of acute leukemias?
- Abrupt stormy onset
- Symptoms: fatigue (anemia), fever (infection due to neutropenia), bleeding (thrombocytopenia)
- Generalized lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly (ALL > AML)
- CNS involvement (ALL > AML)
80% of acute leukemias in children are ___. Most cases occur in individuals younger than 15 y/o, with a peak incidence of about ___ y/o.
ALL; 4
Which type of acute leukemia is more common in adults? What is the median age?
AML; 50 years
What are the neoplastic cells in ALL?
Lymphoblasts - pre-B and pre-T cells
Approximately 85% of ALLs are pre ___ cell neoplasms that manifest as childhood leukemias.
B
What are the special clinical features of T-ALL?
- Presents in adolescent males with thymic involvement manifesting as a mass in the mediastinum
- Initially presents as a lymphoma, but is followed by a leukemic phase
How is ALL diagnosed?
Lymphoblasts with scant basophilic cytoplasm and fine nuclear chromatin (not clumpy); nuclear convolutions
True or false - morphology alone differentiates ALL from AML.
False - additional analysis is necessary
What are the markers used to diagnose ALL?
- T (CD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8) or B (CD 19, 20, 22) cell markers
- Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) *
How do cells positive for TdT stain?
Brown on immunohistochemistry
Up to 90% of ALL patients have numerical or structural changes in the chromosomes of the leukemic cells, correlating with immunophenotype and sometimes prognosis. What are common changes?
- Hyperdiploidy (>50 chromosomes)
- t(12;21) - most common
- t(9;22) (BCR-ABL), Philadelphia chromosome
What is the prognosis of ALL in chidlren?
95% remission
80% cure
What are favorable prognostic indicators for ALL?
Age 2-10
Hyperdiploidy
t(12;21)
What are unfavorable prognostic indicators for ALL?
Age under 2
Adolescent or adult presentation
t(9;22)
What are the types of AML?
- AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities
- AML arising from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
- Therapy-related
- NOS
What are myelodysplastic syndromes?
Clonal stem cell disorders showing defective and ineffective hematopoiesis with increased risk for transformation to AML
What are the types of MDS?
- Primary
2. Therapy-related (following chemo/radiation)
Discus the pathophysiology of MDS.
- Hypercellular marrow with peripheral cytopenia indicates ineffective hematopoiesis
- Clonal cytogenic abnormalities (5q-, monosomy 7)
- Stem cell damage
What morphologic abnormalities are seen in all lineages in MDS?
- Nuclear irregularity
- Nuclear budding
- Multinucleation
- Separated nuclear lobes (megakaryocyte)
What is the prognosis of MDS?
Median survival 9-29 months (primary) or 4-8 months (secondary)
In acute pro-myelocytic leukemia (t(15;17)), pro-coagulants released by leukemic cells may produce ___.
DIC
What does the fusion gene encode in acute pro-myelocytic leukemia (t(15;17))?
Abnormal retinoic acid receptor that blocks myeloid cell differentiation
How is acute pro-myelocytic leukemia treated?
All-trans-retinoic acid
How is AML diagnosed?
- > 20% myeloblasts
- Cytochemical stains - myeloperoxidase (stains brown) or alpha naphtyl butyrate esterase (orange)
- Flow cytometry (CD13, 33, 34, 117)
- Auer rods **
What are good prognostic indicators for AML?
t(15;17), t(8;21), or inversion of chromosome 16
What are poor prognostic indicators for AML?
Translocations involving chromosome 11q23
What are the 3 types of chronic leukemias?
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL)
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
What is the most common leukemia of adults in the Western world?
CLL
CLL is a B-cell neoplasm that typically expresses what CD?
5 (pan T-cell), 20, 23
What mutations are seen in CLL?
Trisomy 12, 11q-, 13q-, deletion of 17p (p53)
What are clinical features of CLL?
- Elderly patients with immune dysfunction and hypogammaglobulinemia
- Some patients have autoimmune hemolytic anemia
What is Richter syndrome/transformation?
Higher grade process of CLL that is very aggressive
What indicates a good prognosis for CLL/SLL?
Those with IGH mutations
What are the two cell types involved in CLL/SLL?
- Small round lymphocytes with condensed chromatin and scant cytoplasm
- Fewer larger cells (pro-lymphocytes)
What is seen on peripheral blood smear in CLL/SLL?
Typical small lymphocytes with scant cytoplasm; smudge cells; cracked earth appearance, soccer ball appearance
What is hairy cell leukemia?
Cells have cytoplasmic projections
How do patients with hairy cell leukemia present?
Middle aged men
Pancytopenia, monocytopenia, splenomegaly, heptomegaly, infections
What does cytochemical staining of hair cell leukemia show?
Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase
What is the treatment and prognosis for hairy cell leukemia?
Gentle chemotherapy
Excellent
What does hairy cell leukemia look like on smear?
Cytoplasmic production
Round-oval nucleus
Where is Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma seen frequently?
Not US - southern Japan, West Africa, Caribbean
How do patients with Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma present?
Skin lesions, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphocytosis, hypercalcemia
CD4 positive T-cells cause a tumor