Category: Leukemias

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a condition characterized by peripheral blood eosinophilia with manifestations of organ system involvement or dysfunction directly related to eosinophilia in the absence of parasitic, allergic, or other secondary causes of eosinophilia. Secondary eosinophilia is a cytokine-derived (interleukin-5 [IL-5]) reactive phenomenon. Worldwide, parasitic diseases are the most common cause, whereas, in developed countries, allergic diseases are the […]

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Large granular lymphocytic leukemia is an uncommon condition also described as CD8 lymphocytosis with neutropenia or T-lymphoproliferative disease. The peripheral blood lymphocytosis is composed of cells with round or oval nuclei with moderately condensed chromatin and rare nucleoli, eccentrically placed in the abundant pale blue cytoplasm with azurophilic granules. Large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia has been recognized by the World […]

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Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is an indolent, low-grade, B-cell lymphoma characterized by the following: Circulating B-cells with cytoplasmic projections (“hairy” appearance). Splenomegaly. Absent lymphadenopathy. Pancytopenia. Monocytopenia. Hairy cell leukemia is relatively uncommon and accounts for 2% of all leukemia cases, which is about 600-800 new patients diagnosed each year in the USA. It has an extremely low incidence in Japan. The […]

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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a low-grade lymphoproliferative malignancy in which there is a proliferation of small mature lymphocytes (almost always B cells) in the blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes. CLL is the most common type of leukemia in the Western world. Clinical Features: CLL occurs mainly in the elderly; 75% of cases are diagnosed in patients > 60 […]

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Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a malignant proliferation of myeloblasts in the blood and bone marrow. The hematopoietic precursors are arrested in an early stage of development. Most AML subtypes are distinguished from other related blood disorders by the presence of more than 20% blasts in the bone marrow. The disease is commonest in the middle-aged and elderly. Clinical Features: Although the onset […]

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Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a malignant proliferation of lymphoblasts in the blood and bone marrow. The disease is usually rapidly progressive if untreated. The incidence of ALL peaks in childhood and then remains relatively constant at lower levels throughout adult life. Two-thirds of all ALL cases occur in children, with a peak incidence at age 2 to 5 years; […]

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