ACUTE NON-LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKAEMIA

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 emergency bleeding and susceptibility to infections. Symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, fevers, weakness, pallor, bone pains, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, light bruising, enlarged lymph nodes and joint pains. Trisomy-8 is the most general 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). Much pre-leukaemic conditions, acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia and secondary leukemia show monosomy-7 or deletion of the long hand of chromosome 7. Treatment includes chemotherapy and/or bone marrow transplant. Acronym: ANLL Incidence: 2.5 cases for 100,000 (all ages). Origin: Gr. Haima = blood

adrenogenous adrenoleukodystrophy adrenolytic adrenomedullary hormones adrenomegaly adrenomimetic adrenomimetic amine adrenomyeloneuropathy (0)