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Glossary

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A

ALL

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

AML

Acute myeloid leukaemia

Ann-Arbor

A staging system developed for lymphoma

A patient's lymphoma stage is defined as:

  • Stage I: Involvement of a single lymph node region or lymphoid structure
    • IE: Involvement of a single extralymphatic organ or site
  • Stage II: Involvement of two or more lymph node regions on the same side of the diaphragm
    • IIE: Involvement of a single extralymphatic site contiguous or proximal to known nodal site plus involvement of one or more lymphoid regions or structures the same side of the diaphragm
  • Stage III: Involvement of lymphoid regions or structures on both sides of the diaphragm
    • IIIE: Involvement of lymphoid regions or structures on both sides of the diaphragm
    • IIIS: Localised splenic involvement plus involvement of lymphoid regions or structures on both sides of the diaphragm
    • IIISE: Fulfilling the definitions of both IIIE and IIIS
  • Stage IV: Diffuse or disseminated involvement of one or more extralymphatic organs or tissues with or without associated lymph node involvement. Liver or marrow involvement is always elevated to stage IV

Used for: B-cell lymphomas

Reference: Lister, T. A. et al. Report of a committee convened to discuss the evaluation and staging of patients with Hodgkin’s disease: Cotswolds meeting. J. Clin. Oncol. 7, 1630–1636 (1989)

APL

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia

ASR

Age standardised rate

B

B-ALL

B-lymphoblastic leukaemia

Binet

A staging system developed for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Patients are classified into one of three prognostic groups:

  • Group A: less than three involved areas of disease (of axillary, cervical or inguinal lymph nodes, spleen or liver); no anaemia and no thrombocytopenia
  • Group B: three of more involved areas; no anaemia and no thrombocytopenia
  • Group C: anaemia and/or thrombocytopenia with any number of involved areas

Reference: Binet, J. L. et al. A new prognostic classification of chronic lymphocytic leukemia derived from a multivariate survival analysis. Cancer 48, 198–206 (1981)

BM

Bone marrow

ß2m

ß2 microglobulin

C

CEL

Chronic eosinophilic leukaemia

CHL

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma

CI

Confidence interval

CLL

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

CML

Chronic myeloid leukaemia

CMML

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

CNS

Central nervous system

CT

Computed tomography

D

DLBCL

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

E

ECOG

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (Performance Status)

ECOG is a scale from 0 to 4 assessing patient well-being and ability to carry out activities normal to their daily life. It is used to assess suitability of treatment and appropriate treatment intensity. It is also used to determine requirement and intensity of palliative care.

  • 0: Able to carry out all normal activity without restriction
  • 1: Restricted in physically strenuous activity but ambulatory and able to carry out light work
  • 2: Ambulatory and capable of all self care, but unable to carry out any work; up and about for more than 50% of waking hours
  • 3: Capable of only limited self care; confined to bed or chair for more than 50% of waking hours
  • 4: Completely disabled; cannot carry out any self care. Totally confined to bed or chair

Used for: Most haematological malignancies

Reference: Oken, M. M. et al. Toxicity and response criteria of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Am. J. Clin. Oncol. 5, 649–655 (1982)

ECSG

Epidemiology and Cancer Statistics Group

F

FL

Follicular lymphoma

FLIPI

Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index

The Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) was developed to inform treatment decisions and assist with stratification of patients in clinical trials. Patients are classified into one of three risk groups – good, intermediate and poor - according to five criteria.

Used for: Follicular lymphoma

Reference: Solal-Céligny, P. et al. Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index. Blood 104, 1258–1265 (2004)

G

GIT

Gastrointestinal tract

GU

Genitourinary

H

Hb

Haemoglobin

HES

Hospital Episode Statistics

HM

Haematological malignancy

HMDS

Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service

I

ICD-10

International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Edition

ICD-O-3

International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition

Ig

Immunoglobulin

Incidence

A measure of the number of new cases of a particular condition in a specific population within a specified period of time

IPI

International Prognostic Index

The International Prognostic Index (IPI) was developed to predict outcomes in patients with aggressive large cell lymphomas to inform treatment decisions. Based on five criteria, patients are classified into one of four risk groups– low (0-1 risk factors present), low-intermediate (2), intermediate-high (3) and high (4-5).

Used for: Large cell lymphomas, marginal zone lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma

Reference: The International Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Prognostic Factors Project. A Predictive Model for Aggressive Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. N. Engl. J. Med. 329, 987–994 (1993)

IPS

International Prognostic Score

The International Prognostic Score (IPS) for classical Hodgkin lymphoma was developed to identify patients at a lower risk who may not need to be treated with intensive chemotherapy. A score is calculated from seven risk factors with each demographic factor or blood parameter adding one point if above the threshold so a higher score indicates higher risk.

Used for: Classical Hodgkin lymphoma

Reference: Hasenclever, D. et al. A Prognostic Score for Advanced Hodgkin’s Disease. N. Engl. J. Med. 339, 1506–1514 (1998)

IPSS

International Prognostic Scoring System

The International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) was designed to predict risk of both survival and progression to acute myeloid leukaemia to inform patient treatment and management decisions. Patients are classified into one of four groups based on levels of three risk factors – low, intermediate-1, intermediate-2 and high. You can find the calculator on on the Prognostics page.

Used for: Myelodysplastic syndromes

Reference: Greenberg, P. et al. International Scoring System for Evaluating Prognosis in Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Blood 89, 2079–2088 (1997)

IPSS-R

Revised International Prognostic Scoring System

The Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) builds on the International Prognostic Scoring System to predict progression of acute myeloid leukaemia and survival from MDS. It adds two additional risk factors to the three in the IPSS and classifies patients into one of five risk groups: very low, low, intermediate, high and very high.

Used for: Myelodysplastic syndromes

Reference: Greenberg, P. L. et al. Revised International Prognostic Scoring System for Myelodysplastic Syndromes. Blood 120, 2454–2465 (2012)

ISS

International Staging System

J

K

L

LDH

Lactate dehydrogenase

LPD

Lymphocyte proliferative disorder

M

M:F

Male:Female - ratio (male rate/female rate) of the annual incidence of males and females

MBL

Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis

MCL

Mantle cell lymphoma

MDS

Myelodysplastic syndrome

MDTs

Multi-disciplinary teams

MGUS

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

MIPI

Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index

The Mantle cell lymphoma International Prognostic Index (MIPI) was developed to inform treatment decisions in patients with mantle cell lymphoma. It uses five criteria to classify patients into one of three risk groups – low, intermediate and high.

Used for: Mantle cell lymphoma

Reference: Hoster, E. et al. A new prognostic index (MIPI) for patients with advanced-stage mantle cell lymphoma. Blood 111, 558–565 (2008)

MML

Myelomastocytic leukaemia

MPN

Myeloproliferative neoplasm

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging

MZL

Marginal zone lymphoma

N

Net survival

A measure estimating the proportion of patients alive at specified time points after diagnosis, accounting for background population mortality. Calculated using national life tables.

NHL

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

NHS

National Health Service

NK

Natural Killer (cell)

NOS

Not otherwise specified

O

ONS

Office for National Statistics

P

PCV

Packed cell volume

PET

Positron emission tomography

Premalignant conditions

Clonal disorders (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance [MGUS] and monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis [MBL]) that may progress to a haematological malignancy in a small number of cases

Prevalence

A measure of the number (or proportion) of people alive on a particular day who have had a diagnosis of the condition in question within a certain period of time

PTCL

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Q

R

RAEB

Refractory anaemia with excess blasts

RARS

Refractory anaemia with ringed sideroblasts

RBC

Red blood cell

RCMD

Refractory cytopoenia with multilineage dysplasia

R-IPI

Revised International Prognostic Index

The Revised International Prognostic Index (R-IPI) includes the same five prognostic indicators as the International Prognostic Index but aims to improve risk classification in large cell lymphoma patients by grouping them differently into three risk groups – poor (3-5 risk factors present), good (1-2) and very good (0).

Used for: Large cell lymphomas

Reference: Sehn, L. H. et al. The revised International Prognostic Index (R-IPI) is a better predictor of outcome than the standard IPI for patients with diffuse large

S

Sex rate ratio

The ratio (male rate/female rate) of the annual incidence of males and females. Also M:F.

T

T-ALL

T-lymphoblastic leukaemia

T-PLL

T-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia

U

USS

Ultrasound scan

V

W

WBC

White blood cell

WHO

World Health Organization

X

Y

YHHN

Yorkshire and Humberside Haematology Network

Z