CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF CHRONIC MYELOID LEUKEMIA

Abstract

Objective: This study was aimed to find out the clinico-pathological profile of chronic myeloid leukemia

(CML) in patients presenting to a tertiary care setting of NWFP.

Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients presented with CML to

Oncology unit, Lady Reading Hospital unit from April 1997 to March 1999. Diagnosis was based both on

clinical and hematological parameters. Data for age, sex and diagnosis (including laboratory data) was

analyzed.

Results: Out of 59 patients, 34 (58%) patients were male while 25 (42%) were female. Age ranged from

20 months to 70 years (median 36.6 years). Two (3%) patients had juvenile CML. Chief complaints at

presentation were fever (65%), mass/pain left hypochondrium (63%), weakness (37%) and aches and pain

(36%). Clinical signs at presentation included splenomegaly in 98% patients, hepatomegaly in 57%

patients and anemia in 47% patients. Pathological/hematological values at presentation were: hemoglobin

< 10 gm/dl in 59%, total leucocyte count (TLC) > 200000/cumm in 41%, platelet count < 150000/cumm in

15% and >500000/cumm in 10%, bone marrow blasts <5% in 68% patients and >10% blasts in 12%

patients. Philadelphia chromosome (tested in limited cases) was positive in 11/12 (92%) cases.

Conclusion: In our study, CML tended to appear at a relatively younger age (mid-thirties) with a slight

male preponderance. Fever and mass left hypochondrium were the commonest presentations and

hepatosplenomegaly and anemia were the common signs. The incidence of thrombocythemia was lower in

our population.