Acute Versus Chronic Leukemia Hematology Review 321
ACUTE CHRONIC
Age All ages, with peaks in 1st decade & after 50 yr Adults
Onset Sudden Insidious
Median survival time, untreated Weeks to months Months to years
WBC ↑, N, or ↓↑(may be >50,000)
Differential Blasts usually present More mature cells
Anemia Mild to severe Mild
Platelets Mild to severe ↓ Usually N
Other Usually lymphoid in children, myeloid in adults Myeloid mostly in young to middle-aged, lym-
phoid in older adults. Most go into blast crisis
Methods used to diagnose Peripheral blood smear, bone marrow Same but less use of cytochemical stains
examination, cytochemical stains,
immunophenotyping, cytogenetics,
molecular genetics