Leukaemias and Lymphomas

Question 1

Define leukaemia

Answer 1

A haematopoietic stem cell disorder resulting in the rapid accumulation of clonal immature precursors in the bone marrow.

Question 2

What symptoms can occur in acute leukaemia?

Answer 2

1) Marrow failure –> Anaemia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia
2) Hyperviscosity due to leucocytosis –> Headaches, SofB, vision blurring, confusion
3) Leukaemic infiltration –> Swollen gums, hepatosplenomegaly, chloroma

Question 3

What are Auer-Rods?

Answer 3

Clumps of azurophilic granular material that form elongated needles seen in the cytoplasm of myeloid leukemic blasts.

Question 4

What are the immunophenotype markers for acute myeloid and lymphoblastic leukaemias?

Answer 4

Myeloid markers –> CD13, CD33, CD117, MPO

Lymphoid markers –> CD10, CD19, CD79a, TdT

Question 5

What is the key difference between acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?

Answer 5

Acute –> Clonal expansion of IMMATURE lymphocytes

Chronic –> Clonal expansion of MATURE lymphocytes

Question 6

What are blast cells?

Answer 6

A type of partially differentiated usually unipotent cell that has lost most or all of the stem cell multipotency.

Blasts > 20% of nucleated cells = acute leukaemia