BMB Results -- Need help interpreting
 

Apparently our hemotologist is out until the middle of the month so I had to track down Shauna's BMB results from a week and a half ago. The nurse that read them yesterday said it indicated normal cellularity -- extra unexpected blessing -- but a 0.5% PNH clone. There was no clone noted in her original biopsy but her marrow was very empty so I suppose it's hard to say whether it was there and not noticed or has evolved. It apparently also indicates 1% blasts and unchanged from the last one. I don't remember them saying anything about blasts in the first one. Am I correct that blasts are just immature blood cells and that you would expect to see some even in a healthy marrow? Or is this something that should be watched even though it is a low number?

Yes you'd expect to see blast cells. It's normal to have up to 5% blasts in the marrow.

Hi Kim,

Having a subclinical PNH clone is not too unusual in AA and should not be concerning. It is thought to be an indicator that the bone marrow failure is immune mediated.

Thank you both for the quick replies. I thought I was a bit beyond getting worried about results but apparently not. You really helped to calm my fears!