The Importance of the Clinical Analyst in Recognizing Promyelocytes in Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia for the Patient's Prognosis

Abstract

APL (Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia) is a very aggressive type of myeloid leukemia characterized by the marked production of promyelocytes in the bone marrow and consequently an increase in peripheral circulation, triggering numerous hemorrhagic and thrombotic events, which makes this leukemia a medical emergency requiring immediate initiation of drug treatment. The objective of this article is to demonstrate the importance of the professional in the clinical analyses in identifying these anomalous cells for the correct diagnosis and initiation of treatment, reducing the fatality of this pathology. This article addresses the onset of blood cell production, the genetic alterations that trigger acute promyelocytic cancer, as well as the complications of this pathology, the main of which is DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation), which can quickly lead to the death of the patient, being the most important factor in the urgency of drug treatment; in addition to the importance of identifying microscopic alterations in the patient's blood for the initiation of treatment and therapeutic success. The research showed that the morphological identification of these cells in clinical analyses can be critical for the initiation of treatment; as well as the administration of ATRA (all-trans-retinoic acid) - usually combined with anthracyclines or ATO (arsenic trioxide) - helps in the remission of APL and reduction of DIC cases, avoiding hematologic complications and increasing patient survival.