In which type of leukemia is a predominance of myeloblasts often seen?

• A. Acute lymphocytic leukemia
• B. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• C. Acute myelocytic leukemia
• D. Leukemoid reaction

Answer: (C)

Acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) is characterized by a predominance of myeloblasts, which are immature cells that originate from the myeloid lineage. In this type of leukemia, the bone marrow produces excessive amounts of myeloblasts, leading to an accumulation of these immature cells in the bloodstream. This overproduction disrupts the normal blood cell lifecycle and impairs the body's ability to produce fully differentiated and functional blood cells, contributing to symptoms such as anemia, infections, and bleeding.

The presence of myeloblasts is a key diagnostic feature of AML and is crucial for distinguishing it from other types of leukemia. In acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), for example, the predominant cells are lymphoblasts instead of myeloblasts, while chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) primarily involves mature lymphocytes. A leukemoid reaction is a response to severe infection or stress, presenting with an increase in mature white blood cells but not specifically characterized by an overwhelming population of myeloblasts like in AML.

Therefore, the clear association of myeloblasts with acute myelocytic leukemia is what makes this answer correct.