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12.2: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

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    38837
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    WHO Classification (2008):1

    As of 2008, the WHO has classified ALL into categories based on the the lymphoblast origin and genetic abnormalities:

    1. B Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma

    • With recurrent genetic abnormalities
    • Not otherwise specified (NOS)

    2. T Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma

    Affected Age: Primarily children 2-5 years old.2

    Affected Cell:1

    B and T lymphoblasts

    ALL Blasts Cell Features:1,3,4

    Size: Blasts are variable in size, usually smaller than myeloblasts

    Nucleoli: Often indistinct, 0-2

    Chromatin: Fine to coarse, dispersed chromatin

    Cytoplasm: Usually scant and basophilic, vacuoles may also be present

    Auer Rods: Not present

    Auer Rods are thought to be fused primary granules and are only found in myeloblasts. Presence of auer rods is distinctive of AML and can be used to differentiate the condition from ALL if they are present.2

    Laboratory Results for ALL:1,3,5

    CBC:

    RBC: Decreased

    WBC: Variable

    PLT: Decreased

    PBS:

    Lymphoblasts

    Normocytic

    Normochromic

    Anisocytosis, poikilocytosis, and nRBCs are usually not present.

    BM:

    ≥20% Lymphoblasts

    Hypercellular with replacement of normal hematopoietic tissue

    Immunologic Markers:

    B cell: TdT, CD10, CD19, CD22, CD24, CD34

    T cell: TdT, CD1, CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, CD10

    Other Tests:

    LD: Increased

    Hyperuricemia

    Hypercalcemia

    Cytogenetics

    Cytochemical Stains

     

    References:

    1. Swerdlow SH, Campo E, Harris NL, Jaffe ES, Pileri SA, Stein H, et al. editors. WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues Volume 2. 4th ed. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); 2008.

    2. McKenzie SB. Introduction to hematopoietic neoplasms. In: Clinical laboratory hematology. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson; 2015. p. 424-45.

    3. Leclair SJ, Bentley G.Precursor Lymphoid Neoplasms. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson; 2015. p. 522-34.

    4. Gatter K, Cruz F, Braziel R. Introduction to leukemia and the acute leukemias. In: Clinical hematology and fundamentals of hemostasis. 5th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company; 2009. p. 331-370.

    5. Roquiz W, Gandhi P, Kini AR. Acute leukemias. In: Rodak’s hematology clinical applications and principles. 5th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders; 2015. p. 543-60.


    This page titled 12.2: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Valentin Villatoro and Michelle To (Open Education Alberta) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.