The Importance of Rapid Laboratory Diagnosis of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a specific type of acute myeloid leukemia [1,2], the onset of the disease is insidious and the disease progresses rapidly, and failure to detect it in time or missing the best time to seek medical treatment is likely to cause secondary cerebral hemorrhage and lead to early death (ED: deaths occur in the first 30 days post diagnosis) [3-5].

A patient with APL was rapidly identified by peripheral blood image, fibrinogen (FIB), and D-dimer within 24 hours. Finally, APL was confirmed by bone marrow cell morphology, molecular biology, and cytogenetics.

The presence of faggot cells with Auer rods in the peripheral blood image and the coagulation function changes abnormally at the same time. Once the above abnormal results are found, APL should be highly suspected and timely reported to the clinic for corresponding treatment.

APL is a critical disease, the time limit for definitive diagnosis should be calculated in hours rather than days. Peripheral blood smear microscopic examination can effectively screen out rare promyelocytes and combine with abnormal FIB and D-dimer results that are highly suspicious of APL. These methods have important clinical significance in the initial screening, early diagnosis, and reduction of early mortality due to APL.