Acute Leukemias

 ACUTE LEUKEMIAS 

In acute leukemias, the peripheral blood has decreased mature forms and increased immature forms called blasts, which have immature chromatin with nucleoli. The bone marrow has increased immature cells (blasts). Acute symptoms are second-ary to marrow failure, which can produce decreased erythrocytes (causing anemia and fatigue), decreased leukocytes (permitting infections and fever), and decreased platelets (inducing bleeding).