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Introduction
Measuring WBCs
Myeloid Leukemias
Lymphoid Leukemias
Sources
of Error
Quiz Please
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You bet there's a classification scheme.
- The same folks that came
up with the French-American-British (FAB) classes for AML did the
same good work for ALL.
- They cooked up 3 subdivisions
based on degree of blast differentiation.
- L1 -> L3, based
on cytologic features of the malignant cells.
- The FAB classification
scheme for acute lymphoblastic leukemias is largely ignored.
- Genetic evaluation
of the blasts, coupled with CD phenotyping, is more
helpful.
Prognosis and outcome
- Many advances have been
made in the treatment of ALL, especially in the case of children.
- Chemotherapy, including
treatment for sub-clinical CNS involvement, leads to 90% remission rate.
- Two thirds fo those who
go into remission are outright cures.
- Pre-B phenotypes of ALL
have the best prognosis.
But it's
not all good news
.
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