| Scenario 1: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
An 11-year-old boy is brought to the clinic by his parents who states that the boy has not been eating and listless. The mother also notes that he has been easily bruising without trauma as he says he is too tired to go out and play. He says his bones hurt sometimes. Mother states the child has had intermittent fevers that respond to acetaminophen.
Maternal history negative for pre, intra, or post-partum problems.
PMH: Negative. Easily reached developmental milestones.
PE: reveals a thin, very pale child who has bruises on his arms and legs in no particular pattern.
LABS: CBC revealed Hemoglobin of 6.9/dl, hematocrit of 19%, and platelet count of 80,000/mm3. The CMP demonstrated a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) of 34m g/dl and creatinine of 2.9 mg/dl.
DIAGNOSIS: acute leukemia and renal failure and immediately refers the patient to the Emergency Room where a pediatric hematologist has been consulted and is waiting for the boy and his parents.
CONFIRMED DX: acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was made after extensive testing.
Question
1. Explain what ALL is?
|
|
|
|
| Selected Answer: |
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is also called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Acute means that leukemia can progress quickly and, if not treated, would probably be fatal within a few months. Lymphocytic means it develops from immature forms of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. ALL is a malignant, clonal disease of the bone marrow in which early lymphoid precursors proliferate and replace the normal hematopoietic cells of the marrow. In most cases, the leukemia cells invade the blood quickly. They can also sometimes spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, central nervous system, and testicles (in males). Acute lymphocytic leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children, and treatments result in a good chance of a cure. Acute lymphocytic leukemia can also occur in adults, though the chance of a cure is greatly reduced. Signs and symptoms of acute lymphocytic leukemia may include: bleeding from the gums, bone pain, fever, frequent infections, frequent or severe nosebleeds, lumps caused by swollen lymph nodes in and around the neck, armpits, abdomen or groin, pale skin, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue or a general decrease in energy. |
| Correct Answer: |
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant (clonal) disease of the bone marrow in which early lymphoid precursors proliferate and replace the normal hematopoietic cells of the marrow. ALL is the most common type of cancer and leukemia in children in the United States. The malignant cells of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are lymphoid precursor cells (ie, lymphoblasts) that are arrested in an early stage of development. This arrest is caused by an abnormal expression of genes, often as a result of chromosomal translocations or abnormalities of chromosome number. These aberrant lymphoblasts proliferate, reducing the number of the normal marrow elements that produce other blood cell lines (red blood cells, platelets, and neutrophils). Consequently, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia occur, although typically to a lesser degree than is seen in acute myeloid leukemia. Lymphoblasts can also infiltrate outside the marrow, particularly in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, resulting in enlargement of the latter organs. |
| Response Feedback: |
[None Given] |
|