Leukemias, lymphomas, multiple myeloma — key distinguishers.
| Type | Demographics | Features | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALL | Kids (peak 2–5); also elderly | Bone pain + fevers + lymphadenopathy + blasts; CNS spread; tdT+, Philadelphia chromosome worst | Multi-agent chemo with CNS prophylaxis; CR rates >90% in kids |
| AML | Adults; t(15;17) APL: Auer rods + DIC | Anemia, thrombocytopenia, blasts >20% with Auer rods | Cytarabine + anthracycline; APL → ATRA + arsenic |
| CLL | Elderly | Smudge cells; lymphocytosis; warm AIHA; hypogammaglobulinemia | Observe early; ibrutinib or chemoimmunotherapy for symptoms |
| CML | Adults 40–60 | Philadelphia chromosome (BCR-ABL t(9;22)); leukocytosis with left shift; basophilia + splenomegaly | Imatinib (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) — dramatic response |
| Hairy cell leukemia | Middle-aged men | Pancytopenia + splenomegaly; TRAP+ cells with hair-like projections | Cladribine (single course) |
| Type | Features | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Hodgkin | Painless cervical LAD + B symptoms (fever, night sweats, weight loss) + Reed-Sternberg cells (owl eyes); EBV association; bimodal age | ABVD chemo ± RT; usually curable |
| Non-Hodgkin (NHL) | Many subtypes; nodal or extranodal; B-cell most; t(14;18) follicular = BCL-2; Burkitt = starry sky + t(8;14) c-MYC | R-CHOP for DLBCL; rituximab if CD20+ |
| Mycosis fungoides | Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; patches/plaques/tumors; Sezary syndrome = leukemic phase | Topical, phototherapy, systemic |
| Disease | Features | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple myeloma | CRAB: hyperCalcemia + Renal failure + Anemia + Bone lesions (lytic, 'punched out'); M-spike on SPEP; Bence Jones proteins (light chains in urine); rouleaux | Bortezomib + dexamethasone ± lenalidomide; auto stem cell transplant |
| MGUS | Asymptomatic M-spike <3 g/dL; 1%/yr → MM | Observation |
| Waldenström | IgM hyperviscosity (blurry vision, headache, mucosal bleeding); lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma | Plasmapheresis acute; rituximab |