BMB Results -- Need help interpreting

[KimO]

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?

[Neil Cuadra]

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

[Hopeful]

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.

[KimO]

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!