Leukaemia - Types Flashcards
Who is most likely to get acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
Children
What are the four major different types of leukaemia?
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML)
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
Chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML)
Who is most likely to get acute myelogenous (or myelobastic) leukaemia?
Older adults
Who is most likely to get the chronic forms of leukaemias?
Older adults
Describe acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Lymphoblasts undergo malignant transformation and proliferation, subsequent replacement of normal marrow elements, leading to bone marrow failure and infiltration into other tissues.
Describe chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Cell accumulation in blood, bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymph nodes due to impaired apoptosis.
Translocation/somatic trisomy in which chromosome is present in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia? Loss of function on this chromosome of which gene present results in impaired apoptosis?
Chromosome 12. Loss of function mutation in P2X7 gene.
Describe acute myeloblastic myeloid leukaemia.
Myeloblasts, arrested at an early stage of development with varying cytogenic abnormalities, undergo malignant transformation and proliferation, with replacement of normal marrow elements and bone marrow failure.
Describe chronic myeloid leukaemia.
Malignant transformation and proliferation of stem cells with characteristic chromosomal translocation resulting in the Philadelphia Chromosome.
What is the Philadelphia Chromosome?
An abnormally small chromosome sometimes found in the leukocytes of leukaemia patients.
What is a highly sensitive test for chronic myeloid leukaemia? Why is it highly sensitive?
The presence of the translocation t9:22(q34;q11) which means an elongated chromosome 9 and truncated chromosome 22; 95% of CML sufferers have this abnormality.
What are 5 investigations for acute leukaemias?
- Blood film
- Bone marrow aspirate
- Cytogenic analysis
- Immunophenotyping
- FBC
What are the 6 general principles of management of acute leukaemias?
- Decide if you are going to cure it
- Correct anaemia and thrombocytopenia
- Treat any infection
- Leucophoresis
- Treat hyperuricaemia
- Be aware of tumour lysis syndrome
What is thrombocytopoenia? What are normal and abnormal human platelet counts?
A relative decrease of platelets in blood. Normal human platelet count ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets/ul blood. A common ref to thrombocytopoenia is a platelet count below 50,000 platelets/ul blood.
How would one correct anaemia and thrombocytopoenia?
Blood products, platelet transfusions, fresh frozen plasma in pts with disseminated intravascular coagulation.