Leukaemia intro

Question 1

What is Leukemia?

Answer 1

Neoplastic proliferation of WBC line
All WBC/progenitors lose ability to differentiate but maintain ability to replicate.

Question 2

What are the 2 divisions of the WBC line?

Answer 2

Myeloblasts and lymphoblasts

Question 3

What do lymphoid progenitors differentiate into?

Answer 3

T cells and B cells, Natural killer cells and plasma cells

Question 4

What do myeloblasts differentiate into?

Answer 4

Basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes (mature to macrophages)

Question 5

What is the result of neoplastic proliferation of WBC line (leukemia)?

Answer 5

Decreased production of other haematopoietic cells, functional pancytopenia

Question 6

What is pancytopenia?

Answer 6

Deficiency of all 3 cellular components of blood (RBCs, WBCs and platelets)

Question 7

What risks are increased with pancytopenia?

Answer 7

Infection, bleeding and anaemia amongst others

Question 8

What are general symptoms of leukemia?

Answer 8

Bone marrow failure resulting in bone pain and bleeding, infections, anaemia and TATT (tired all the time)

Question 9

What does ALL stand for?

Answer 9

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia

Question 10

What is ALL?

Answer 10

Bone marrow makes too many lymphoblasts (immature WBCs). Leads to decrease in production of normal RBCs, platelets and mature WBCs

Question 11

What enzyme plays a crucial role in development of lymphocytes and often used as a marker in ALL?

Answer 11

TdT (Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl transferase)

Question 12

What age group get diagnosed with ALL

Answer 12

<10 y/o

Question 13

What is the treatment for ALL?

Answer 13

Chemotherapy

Question 14

What does AML stand for?

Answer 14

Acute Myeloid leukemia

Question 15

What is AML (pathopyhsiology)?

Answer 15

rapid growth of abnormal myeloid cells (immature WBCs) that would normally mature into RBCs, WBCs and platelets

Question 16

What age is AML commonly diagnosed at?

Answer 16

around 65 y/o

Question 17

What enzyme is found in the granules of myeloid cells and found in AML cells to be used as a marker in lab tests?

Answer 17

MPO = myeloperoxidase

Question 18

What are the needle-like structures found in the cytoplasm of myeloid blasts particularly in AML?

Answer 18

Auer rods

Question 19

What is treatment for AML?

Answer 19

Chemotherapy and sometimes stem cell transplant
Blood transfusion and antibiotics are often given to manage complications
ATRA

Question 20

What is ATRA?

Answer 20

All-Trans Retinoic Acid used to treat the subtype of AML called Acute Promyelocytic Leukaemia (abnormal promyelocytes, type of myeloid cell)