Chemotherapy Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Chemotherapy and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Hypocellular Bone Marrow Biopsy This biopsy section was taken from a patient who has very few cellular elements in the marrow. Notice that over 90% of the marrow is composed of fat. If all of the cellular elements are decreased, the patient's condition is said to be pancytopenic or aplastic. There are numerous causes for aplasia, including drugs such as chloramphenicol, chemotherapy and inheritance (Fanconi's Anemia). | View Page |
| A frail 85-year-old woman living in an extended care facility was found lying on the floor. Her eating habits had been irregular and food intake scanty. Her skin had tissue paper-like quality, with a pearly grey sheen. In good light a faint lemon-yellow color became evident.Her hemoglobin was 9.2 mg/dl. The peripheral blood smear (upper and lower photographs) is most consistent with: | View Page |
| Uric Acid Crystal Morphology The morphology of uric acid crystals varies more than any other type of crystal, from "whetstone" to hexagonal plate, from rosettes to rectangles or other irregular shapes. Their color also can vary from almost colorless to yellow or brown. Large numbers of uric acid crystals may be seen in individuals with leukemia or patients undergoing chemotherapy. | View Page |
| Which of the following statements are true for hyposegmented neutrophils: | View Page |
| Conditions Associated with Hypersegmented Neutrophils There are a number of conditions in which hypersegmented neutrophils may be seen, such as megaloblastic anemias that include folic acid deficiency and pernicious anemia. Individuals who are receiving chemotherapy or have long-term chronic infections may also have hypersegmented neutrophils.The cells seen in these conditions would be classified as pathological since the body is responding abnormally as a result of either a deficiency of a component needed for DNA production or because of the toxic effect that chemotherapy drugs have on DNA. | View Page |
| Conditions Associated with Hyposegmented Neutrophils The presence of hyposegmented neutrophils can be an acquired phenomenon, as a result of severe infection, burns, malignancy, chemotherapy or other drugs such as sulfonamides. When the causative agent has been removed, the cells will return to normal. Percentages of neutrophils affected will vary in this condition. Hyposegmented neutrophils as an aquired phenomenon are known as pseudo-Pelger-Huet cells. These are considered pathological. | View Page |
| More on Dohle Bodies Dohle bodies are seen in a number of conditions, including infections, burns, measles, leukemia and chemotherapy. Dohle bodies are classified as pathological in the sense that they are only present when the body is responding to an unusually severe stress or stimulus. This severe stress may cause the cytoplasm of some cells to mature improperly. Their presence does not aid in the diagnosis of the disorders in which they are found, but they are frequently seen along with toxic granulation and/or vacuoles often present in infections and burns. Recognition is important because their appearance is similar to May-Hegglin bodies, which appear in a rare hereditary disorder called May-Hegglin anomaly. | View Page |
| The peripheral blood smear tagged in the photograph was held for review because of too many platelets, about double the normal average of 8 - 15/oil immersion field or one per 10 - 20 RBC's. Conditions in which platelets are increased as noted in the photograph include: | View Page |