Summary
A low predisposition risk patient in his 20s arrives at urgent care with fever and fatigue. Diagnosis? Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). In this podcast, we speak with Dr. John McClure about case management of a patient with AML. Dr. McClure walks us through the lab testing necessary to identify AML, the best- and worst-case scenarios for patient outcomes, and where a medical technologist fits into the process.
Objectives
- Differentiate between the peripheral blood hematology findings in acute versus chronic leukemia.
- List predisposing factors for patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
- Correlate how molecular and cytogenetic abnormalities contribute to the prognosis and response to treatment in patients with AML.
- List indications for a bone marrow transplant.
Bio
Dr. John S. McClure is a pathologist in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area. He has been in practice for more than 20 years and his prior accomplishments include being a course director at the University of Minnesota in Lab Medicine and Pathology and a medical director at various hospital and clinical laboratories around the Twin Cities Area. He’s always wanted to be a professional brewer or bagpipe player but couldn’t cut it in either field so he settled for hematopathology.
References
Dunford, A. et. Al. Tumor suppressor genes that escape from X-inactivation contribute to cancer sex bias. Nature Genetics. 2017. 49(1): 10-16.
Soos, M.P., et. Al. Blue-green neutrophilic inclusion bodies in the critically ill patient. Clinical Case Reports. 2019. 7: 1249-1252.