Hematologic and Lymphatic Disorders Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key hematologic pathologies including leukemia, lymphomas, polycythemia, and DIC as discussed in the lecture transcript.

Leukemia

A cancer developing in the lymphoid system that causes an increased production of immature and abnormal blood cells, particularly white blood cells.

Thrombocytopenia

An abnormally low thrombocyte or platelet count.

Leukocytosis

An increase in the white blood cell count.

Leukopenia

A decrease in the amount of white blood cells, often caused by chemotherapy treatments.

Acute leukemia

A form of leukemia typically found in younger populations where bone marrow is replaced with abnormal lymphoblasts.

Lymphoblasts

Tumors in the bone marrow where most blood products are created, specifically associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Chronic leukemia

A form of leukemia typically developing in people aged $65$ and older, where abnormal, mature lymphoid cells accumulate in the bone marrow and lymphatic system.

Lymphomas

A group of malignant diseases that arise in the lymphoid system, involving the nodes, spleen, and thymus gland.

Thymus gland

A gland located in the substernal area that is part of the lymphatic system.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

A category of lymphoma that can occur at any age, may be hereditary, and is characterized by progression ranging from slow (indolent) to highly aggressive.

Hodgkin's lymphoma

A rare lymphoma characterized by painless progressive enlargement of the lymphoid glands, most commonly affecting the spleen and lymph nodes in people aged $10$ to $35$ or the elderly.

Polycythemia

An overabundance or overproduction of red blood cells resulting in increased blood viscosity and volume.

Viscosity

The thickness of blood; in polycythemia, increased viscosity makes blood flow sluggish and more prone to clotting.

Phlebotomy

A treatment for polycythemia involving therapeutic bloodletting, similar to donating blood, to manage red blood cell levels.

Pruritus

Uncontrolled itching, which is a common clinical finding in patients with polycythemia.

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

A condition resulting from hypoperfusion states characterized by a stage of massive clot formation followed by a stage of massive clot breakdown and uncontrolled hemorrhage.

Thrombin and Fibrin

Substances that deposit in the blood to create clots around platelets during the first stage of DIC.