Study of Patterns of Leukaemia in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Leukaemia arises from abnormal proliferation of hematopoietic or lymphoid cells, categorized as acute or chronic and originating from lymphoid, myeloid, or mixed lineages. Clinical manifestations result from leukemic cell proliferation and tissue infiltration. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the frequency and clinicopathological profile of leukaemia cases. Material and Methods: A three-year cross-sectional observational study was carried out in the Department of Pathology, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. Diagnosis of Leukaemia was based on complete blood count, peripheral smear examination, bone marrow analysis and cytochemistry wherever required. Data comprising of patient details, clinical examination and haematological parameters were analysed. Results: A total of 163 leukaemia cases were identified, including 102 (63%) acute and 61(37%) cases of chronic leukaemia. Acute leukaemia consisted of 58 cases of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), 25 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), and 19 undifferentiated leukaemia (UL), while chronic cases comprised 47 Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) and 14 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). Most patients were in the age group of 31-60 years, with a male predominance (M:F 1.7:1). Conclusions: Early diagnosis and typing are vital for prompt leukaemia treatment. Despite advanced technologies, cytomorphological examination with cytochemistry remains crucial, especially in resource-limited settings like India. Keywords: Leukaemia, acute, chronic, cytomorphology, observational study