Medicine & USMLE

Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)

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Leukemias and Lymphomas
  1. Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)
  2. Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL)
  3. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
  4. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)
  5. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
  6. Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL)
  7. Hodgkin Lymphoma
  8. Burkitt Lymphoma
  9. Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
  10. Follicular Lymphoma
  11. Mantle Cell Lymphoma
  12. Marginal Zone Lymphoma
  13. Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL)
  14. Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATLL)
  15. Mycosis Fungoides / Sezary Syndrome

Summary

Acute promyelocyte leukemia or APL is a subtype of AML or acute myelocytic lymphoma.  Specifically, APL is the cancer of the immature or blast cells form of myelocytes. APL happens due to the translocation of chromosome 15 into chromosome 17, causing the fusion of the RARA gene with the promyelocytic leukemia gene. Although APL itself has a good prognosis, DIC is associated with APL and can be fatal. The presence of Auer rods and positive myeloperoxidase stain are used to diagnose APL. ATRA is prescribed as APL treatment.