Malignancy Flashcards
Which antigen is used to identify stem cells?
CD34
What is malignant haemopoiesis?
Increased numbers of abnormal and dysfunctional cells with the loss of normal activity.
What occurs in acute leukaemia?
Abnormal proliferation of primitive progenitor cells with a failure of differentiation and/or maturation.
Normal cells in the bone marrow are lost, resulting in bone marrow/blood failure.
What occurs in chronic myeloid leukaemia?
Abnormal proliferation of primitive progenitor cells with NO failure in differentiation/maturation.
Is malignant haematopoiesis referred to as polyclonal or monoclonal?
Monoclonal
What is leukaemia affecting primitive B cells called?
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
What is leukaemia affecting more mature B cells called?
Chronic lymphoblastic leukaemia
What cells are affected in myeloid malignancies?
More primitive progenitor cells
Cancer involving the lymph node is called what?
Lymphoma
Cancer involving the bone marrow and blood is called what?
Leukaemia
What is myeloma?
Malignancy of plasma cells within the bone marrow
What cells appear in excess in acute leukaemia?
Blasts
Will make up >20% of the bone marrow/blood cells.
What are the 2 types of acute leukaemia?
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
Acute lymphoid leukaemia (ALL)
What individuals commonly present with ALL?
Children
How does ALL present?
Marrow failure (may have raised WCC)
High numbers of lymphoblasts
CNS/Testicular involvement due to blasts obstructing circulation
Bone pain
In which individuals does AML present?
Elderly
What form of AML can cause DIC?
Acute promyelocytic leukaemia
What factors can indicate DIC?
Raised D-dimers
Low fibrinogen/clotting factors
In acute leukaemia, raised blasts within circulation are known as what?
Auer rods
What tests are used to diagnose acute leukaemia?
Bone marrow examination
Immunophenotyping
What test is used to distinguish between ALL and AML?
Immunophenotyping
This distinguishes the lineage of the cells.
How is acute leukaemia treated?
Intensive chemotherapy
What can be used to achieve long-term venous access?
Hickman line
What should be carried out in those with suspected neutropenic fever?
Take culture and start antibiotics which cover gram negative organisms, prior to result.
In prolonged neutropenia , despite patient given antibiotics, what is the potential causation?
Fungal infection
What infection does ALL predispose to?
Pneumocystis pneumonia (PJP)
Consider prophylactic cover.
What is a side-effect of anthracycline chemotherapy?
Cardiomyopathy
What does the absence of leukaemic cells in the bone marrow indicate?
Remission
how is disease described if no response is exhibited following treatment?
Referred to as being refractory.
