Medical Definition of Acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia
1.
A form of leukaemia which is characterised by the proliferation of immature bone marrow precursor cells in the marrow and immature white blood cells (granulocytes) in the bloodstream. Occurs primarily in adults and in infants under 1 year of age. Complications include abnormal bleeding and susceptibility to infections.
Symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, fevers, weakness, pallor, bone pains, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, easy bruising, enlarged lymph nodes and joint pains.
Trisomy-8 is the most common cytogenetic abnormality observed, followed by monosomy-7 and monosomy-5. Approximately 8% of cases show trisomy-8, mostly in AML (M1), AM (M4) and acute monocytic leukaemia (M5). Many pre-leukaemic conditions, acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia and secondary leukemia show monosomy-7 or deletion of the long arm of chromosome 7.
Treatment includes chemotherapy and/or bone marrow transplant.
Acronym: ANLL
Incidence: 2.5 cases per 100,000 (all ages).
Origin: Gr. Haima = blood
(07 Apr 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Acute Non-lymphocytic Leukaemia
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