Haematology & OncologyPending review

Acute Leukaemia

A malignant clone of immature blast cells expands rapidly in the bone marrow and crowds out normal blood production, so the clinical picture is a predictable marrow failure triad (anaemia, infection and bleeding) appearing over days to weeks.

First principles

Leukaemia is an arrest in differentiation, not just uncontrolled division

A genetic hit in a haematopoietic precursor blocks the normal programme of maturation while allowing proliferation to continue unchecked, so the marrow fills with immature blast cells (lymphoblasts in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, myeloblasts in acute myeloid leukaemia) that cannot mature into functioning red cells, neutrophils or platelets.

You’ve reached the end of the preview

The rest of the extended textbook — mechanism, differentials, complications and prognosis — is part of full access. Sign in to see your options.

Educational content pending clinical review. Not medical advice.