Study of diagnostic and prognostic parameters (including flow cytometry) in chronic lymphoproliferative disorders: the Indian perspective.

OBJECTIVE

To assess for chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPD) using several diagnostic and prognostic parameters, including cell morphology, immunologic markers and molecular and cytogenetic investigations, some of which had not been used in the assessment of patients in India.

STUDY DESIGN

This prospective study involved the analysis of peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM) aspirate morphology, BM infiltration pattern and lymphoid cell flow cytometry (FCM) in patients with CLPDs. These findings were compared with other disease parameters.

RESULTS

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and hairy cell leukemia (HCL) were the most commonly encountered CLPDs among 91 CLPD patients. Seventy cases were diagnosed as CLL, 14 as HCL and 7 as miscellaneous. Sixty-nine CLL cases showed typical CLL immunophenotype. Thirteen HCL cases revealed typical HCL immunophenotype. Rai and Binet staging systems were applied, and the correlation of various stages with other prognostic parameters like BM trephine biopsy patterns, CD38 positivity, serum lactic dehydrogenase level, lymphocyte doubling time and Coomb's test was analyzed. BM infiltration pattern showed significant statistical correlation with staging systems.

CONCLUSION

The advantage of FCM is being realized increasingly in India, therefore this study is likely to serve as a baseline data in our set-up.