blast crisis

crisis /cri·sis/ (kri´sis) pl. cri´ses   [L.]

1. the turning point of a disease for better or worse; especially a sudden change, usually for the better, in the course of an acute disease.

2. a sudden paroxysmal intensification of symptoms in the course of a disease.

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addisonian crisis , adrenal crisis fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss accompanying an acute attack of Addison's disease.

blast crisis  a sudden, severe change in the course of chronic granulocytic leukemia with an increase in the proportion of myeloblasts.

genital crisis of newborn  estrinization of the vaginal mucosa and hyperplasia of the breast, influenced by transplacentally acquired estrogens.

hemolytic crisis  acute red cell destruction leading to jaundice, occasionally seen with sickle cell disease.

identity crisis  a period in the psychosocial development of an individual, usually occurring during adolescence, manifested by confusion over one's self, values, or perceived role expected by society.

sickle cell crisis  a broad term for several acute conditions occurring with sickle cell disease, including hemolytic crisis and vaso-occlusive crisis.

thyroid crisis , thyrotoxic crisis thyroid storm; a sudden and dangerous increase of symptoms of thyrotoxicosis.

vasoocclusive crisis  severe pain due to infarctions in the bones, joints, lungs, liver, kidney, spleen, eye, or central nervous system, an acute condition seen with sickle cell anemia.

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Blast crisis

Stage of chronic myelogenous leukemia where large quantities of immature cells are produced by the marrow and is not responsive to treatment.

Mentioned in: Bone Marrow Transplantation

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blast crisis

Blast phase, blast transformation Oncology The abrupt conversion of a chronic, relatively indolent leukemia usually CML into an acute decompensated, accelerated phase, with a marked–30+% of WBCs—↑ proportion of blasts and number of lymphocytes or myelocytes in circulation and BM Clinical Lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, spleen and bone pain, fever, thrombosis Lab Leukocytosis, thrombocytosis or thrombocytopenia, anemia Management Response to BCs is usually short-lived; myeloblast transformations are commonly treated with hydroxyurea;¹⁄₄ respond to prednisone with vincristine. Cf Blast transformation, Relapse.