Malignant Haematology

Question 1

What is used to identify normal mature non-lymphoid cells?

Answer 1

Morphology

Question 2

What is used to identify normal progenitors and stem cells?

Answer 2

Immunophenotyping

Question 3

What occurs in malignant haemopoiesis?

Answer 3

Increased numbers of abnormal and dysfunctional cells

Question 4

What are the four broad causes of malignant haemopoesis?

Answer 4

Increased proliferation
Lack of differentiation
Lack of maturation
Lack of apoptosis

Question 5

What occurs in acute leukaemia?

Answer 5

There is proliferation of abnormal progenitors with a block in differentiation/maturation

Question 6

What occurs in chronic myeloproliferative disorders?

Answer 6

There is proliferation of abnormal progenitors with no block in differentiation/maturation

Question 7

What is a clone?

Answer 7

A population of cells derived from a single cell

Question 8

Normal haemopoesis is monoclonal and malignant haemopoesis is polyclonal. True/false?

Answer 8

False - normal haemopoiesis is polyclonal while malignant haemopoiesis is monoclonal

Question 9

Give some histological features of an aggressive leukaemia

Answer 9

Large cells with high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio
Prominent nucleoli
Rapid proliferation

Question 10

Acute/chronic leukaemias present with failure of normal bone marrow function

Answer 10

Acute

Question 11

Problems with which cell type will lead to an acute leukaemia?

Answer 11

Progenitor cells

Question 12

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a malignant disease of which cell?

Answer 12

Primitive lymphoid (lymphoblasts)

Question 13

ALL is the most common cancer in which age group?

Answer 13

Children

Question 14

ALL will commonly involve which areas?

Answer 14

CNS
Testis
Bones

Question 15

Acute myeloid leukaemia is a malignant disease of which cell?

Answer 15

Primitive myeloid (myeloblasts)

Question 16

AML tends to present in which age group?

Answer 16

Elderly

Question 17

How may certain subgroups of AML present?

Answer 17

DIC

Gum infiltration

Question 18

What are the main investigations for acute leukaemia?

Answer 18

Blood count and film
Coagulation screen
Bone marrow aspirate

Question 19

Auer rods are seen on the blood film of which leukaemia?

Answer 19

Acute myeloid leukaemia

Question 20

What test can be done done to distinguish between AML and ALL?

Answer 20

Immunophenotyping

Question 21

How are ALL and AML treated?

Answer 21

Chemotherapy

Question 22

What is the main risk of neutropenia caused by bone marrow suppression?

Answer 22

Gram negative bacteria causing fulminant sepsis