Leukaemia Flashcards
What is Leukaemia? (2 points)
- Cancer of stem cells in bone marrow
- Causing unregulated prod of other types of blood cells
What are the different types of Leukaemia in kids? (3 things)
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) (most common)
- Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML)
- Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) (rare)
What ages does Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) peak?
2-3 years
What ages does Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) peak?
Under 2 years
What is the pathophysiology of Leukaemia? (3 steps)
- Excess prod of one type of blood cell
- Leading to underprod of other blood cells
- Aka Pancytopenia (low RBC / WBC / Platelets)
What are the RF for Leukaemia? (3 things)
- Radiation exposure (main RF)
- Downs syndrome
- Kleinfelter syndrome
What are the CF of Leukaemia? (11 things)
- Fever (unexplained)
- Fatigue
- Pallor
- Night sweats
- Lymphadenopathy
- Bone / joint pain
- Petechiae (rash) / Bruising / Bleeding
- Abd pain
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Failure to thrive
- WL
What are some DDx that present similarly to Leukaemia? (7 things)
- Immune thrombocytopaenia (bruising)
- Trauma (bruising)
- Immune deficiency
- Reactive lymphadenopathy
- Infection (CNS symptoms)
- Raised ICP (CNS symptoms)
- Other cancer met into bone marrow (pancytopaenia)
How do you differentiate between Immune thrombocytopaenia and Leukaemia?
IT will have Normal RCB / WBC
How do you differentiate between Trauma and Leukaemia?
Trauma will have normal bloods
Which kids does NICE recommend you refer for Immediate specialist assessment? (2 things)
- Unexplained petechiae
- Unexplained hepatomegaly
What investigations are involved in the Immediate specialist assessment? (4 things)
- FBC (urgent within 48 hours)
- Blood film
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Lymph node biopsy
What may a FBC show you in sus Leukaemia? (4 things)
- Anaemia
- Leukopaenia
- Thrombocytopaenia
- High numbers of abnormal WBC
What may a Blood film show you in sus Leukaemia?
Blast cells
What further investigations can you do for Leukaemia to help with Staging? (5 things)
- CXR
- CT
- Lumbar puncture
- Genetic analysis
- Immunophenotyping of abn cells