Lecture 16 - WBC Disorders Flashcards
What are malignant proliferations of cells native to lymphoid tissue - lymphocytes and their precursors and derivatives?
lymphomas
Lymphoma tumors usually arise in lymphoid tissue and can spread to invovle what other areas?
- solid tissue
- marrow
- blood
What are the two main types lymphomas are categorized into?
Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas
what are malignant proliferations of cells native to the bone marrow, which often spillover into the blood?
Leukemias
leukemias can spread to involve solid organs, specifically which two?
liver and spleen
This distinction between lymphoma and the lymphocytic leukemias can be difficult sometimes, since in advanced states both can involve what?
both can involve lymphoid tissue at any site
what type of lymphoma has the characteristic morphologically of the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells admixed with variable inflammatory infiltrate?
hodgkin lymphoma
Is non-hodgkin lymphoma or hodgkin lymphoma accompanied by a fever?
hodgkin lymphoma is often accompanied by fever
Is non-HL or HL accompanied as arising in a single lymph node or chain of nodes?
Hodgkin lymphoma is accompanied as arising in a single lymph node or chain of nodes
Is HL more common in younger or older individuals and what is the averae age?
HL more common in young adults and the average age is 30 years
specifically why is staging so important in Hodgkin lymphoma?
because it is characterized by contiguous spread within lymph node groups
the cause of Hodgkin lymphoma is unknown, but what has been implicated in playing a role?
EBV (epstein barr virus)
what is the neoplastic cell associated with Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Reed-Sternberg (RS) cell
Describe a Reed-Sternberg (RS) cell
A distinctive large cell with mirror image nuclei and prominent nucleoli
In HL are there usually small or large numbers of RS cells present in the involved node?
usually only SMALL numbers are present in the involved node
A diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma requires the presence of what?
RS cells in the appropriate histologic background: RS-like cells alone are NOT specific, and may be seen in non-neoplastic disorders like infectious mononucleosis
Where may RS cells arise?
RS cells may arise from specialized antigen-presenting cells in lymph nodes; the precise origin of the RS cell remains uncertain
*EBV genome can be identified in the RS cells in some cases
what does staging refer to?
the assessment of the amount of tumor burden and its distribution in the body
what does it mean to have low stage disease?
low stage disease denotes localized lymph node involvement, without systemic signs (fever weight loss) and has a better prognosis
what does it mean to have high stage disease?
Widespread disease, often with bone marrow involvement, has a worse prognosis
*More aggressive forms of disease typically present in higher stages
The choice of therapy (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both) and prognosis are based on what?
stage
What is the main treatment for HL and what treatment is used less today
chemotherapy is the main treatment and to a less extent radiotherapy
The stages of HL are further divided on the basis of absence or presence of systemic symptoms such as what?
- fever, night sweats, significant unexplained weight loss
* Example: stage IIIA
Most patients typically have what as the initial manifestation of disease in Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
-enlarged painless superficial lymph node involvement