Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: clinical staging and bone marrow histological patterns in 68 Iraqi patients

ABSTRACT

Clinical, haematological and bone marrow histo!ogical patterns were studied in a series of 68 Iraqi patients with chronic lymphocytic Leukaemia. The application of the two major clinical staging systems [namely the Rai and Binet systems] to the classification of patients in this series showed that the majority had an advanced stage at presentation [63.2% were Binet stage C [Rai stages III and IV]], Bone marrow histological patterns were diffuse in 51.5%, mixed in 32.3% and interstitial in 16.2%, while none were nodular. Such findings are quite different. from those reported from North America and Europe, Where early and Intermediate clinical stages and interstitial marrow histological patterns predominate. Furthermore, significant correlations between the marrow histological patterns and both Rai and Binet staging systems were found, a finding which is consistent with studies from Western countries