Lecture 1: Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Flashcards
ONE OF THE CASE STUDY PATIENTS CAN BE DONE AFTER FIRST SESSION, REST CAN BE DONE AFTER NEXT 3 OR 4 SESSIONS.
POLYCYTHAEMIA VERA IS A CASE STUDY.
What are the three broad categories of genes which can be implicated in malignancy?
Leukaemia is incredibly heterogenous, what multiple ways can leukaemias be classified? 4 main points
As either acute or chronic
And as either myeloid vs lymphoid
A leukaemia is described as a combination of either of these, (e.g. acute myeloid).
What system for classification existed, what has it been replaced with, when was it replaced?
The
In which population is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia the most common?
It is most common in children, with the peak incidence being between ages 2-5, with it being much more unlikely to develop it later, with a small rise in older ages (above 70).
What lineage is the most common in ALL?
B-cell lineage, with 88% of cases being of this lineage.
Are remission rates high for ALL? What is the remission rate for children vs older patients?
Under 10 years old, the remission rate is
What will the presenting clinical picture be for a patient with ALL? What is the main reason for these symptoms?
Patient will present with non-specific symptoms: Lethargy, dizziness, bruising, nausea, pale skin.
Easy bleeding can be observed, such as nosebleeds or bleeding from gums, bruising and red spots are due to bleeding.
These symptoms are mostly associated with marrow failure, such as thrombocytopenia.
What will often be observed in blood tests in regards to ALL?
Thrombocytopenia is present in majority of cases.
Anaemia can be present
White blood cell count can be high or low, depending on stage of disease. (If patient is early stage, white cell count can b
What is the characteristic morphologies associated with ALL blood films?
How was acute lymphoblastic leukaemia classified using the F-A-B system?
What problems are there with the F-A-B system?
