monocytic leukemia
Học thuậtThân thiện
A doctor examines a blood smear showing monocytic leukemia under a microscope.
Definition
Noun A type of leukemia characterized by the abnormal proliferation of monocytes and monoblasts (immature monocytes) in the blood and bone marrow. It is a cancer of the blood-forming tissues.
Usage and Examples
- The patient was diagnosed with monocytic leukemia after a series of blood tests showed a high count of abnormal monocytes.
- Treatment for monocytic leukemia often involves chemotherapy and may require a stem cell transplant.
- Researchers are studying new targeted therapies for subtypes of monocytic leukemia.
Advanced Usage and Context
- In medical classification, monocytic leukemia is a category of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Specific subtypes, such as acute monoblastic/monocytic leukemia, are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system based on the percentage and type of monocytic cells present.
- The term is used in precise hematological and oncological contexts to distinguish this disease from other forms of leukemia, such as lymphocytic or myelogenous leukemia.
Variants and Related Words
- Monoblastic leukemia: A closely related term often used interchangeably or to specify a subtype where the predominant cell is the very immature monoblast.
- Acute monocytic leukemia (AMoL): A common full name for this condition, emphasizing its rapid progression.
- Monocytosis: An increase in the number of monocytes in the blood, which can be a sign of various conditions, including but not limited to monocytic leukemia.
Synonyms and Near-Synonyms
- Acute monoblastic leukemia
- Acute monocytic leukemia (AMoL)
- (Formally classified as a subtype of) Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
Notes on Meaning
This term refers specifically to a disease state. It is not used figuratively. The core defining feature is the malignant overproduction of cells from the monocyte lineage, which are part of the body's immune system.
A doctor examines a blood smear showing monocytic leukemia under a microscope.
Noun
- leukemia characterized by the proliferation of monocytes and monoblasts in the blood