Acute lymphoid leukaemia

Big picture

Acute lymphoid leukaemia, more commonly called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), is an aggressive malignant proliferation of immature lymphoid precursor cells. The key exam idea is:

lymphoblast accumulation → bone marrow failure + lymphoid/extramedullary infiltration + risk of central nervous system and testicular disease.

Think of ALL in a patient with acute constitutional symptoms, infections, bruising/bleeding, anemia symptoms, bone pain, lymphadenopathy/hepatosplenomegaly, and sometimes mediastinal mass or neurological symptoms. The diagnosis is confirmed by bone marrow examination and flow cytometry, and treatment is urgent, multi-phase, and