Clinical characteristics of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in young versus old age patients in Kurdistan region- Iraq

Abstract

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the common adulthood leukemic type, although the incidence rate in the Kurdistan region is low. It is well known that chronic lymphocytic leukemia is prevalent among the elderly age group, however frequent cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia are newly diagnosed at a younger age. Aim of the study: To analyze the difference in disease presentation, progression, and outcome between young and old age group patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the Kurdistan region/Iraq. Patients & Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional review study carried out in three oncology centers in the Kurdistan region (Nanakaly Hospital in Erbil city, Hiwa center in Sulaimani city, and Azadi center in Duhok city) for ten years through the period from 1st of January, 2010 to 31st of December, 2019 on a convenient sample of 152 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia was done by the Oncologists in Kurdistan tumor centers according to the International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. The age of patients at diagnosis was categorized into two groups and ranged from 25 years to 94 years. The age cutoff value in the current study was (55 years) depending on previous kinds of literature. Results: The mean age at diagnosis of patients was (63 years); 28% of them were diagnosed at age of ≤50 years and 72% of them were diagnosed at age of more than 55 years. Older age patients were significantly presented with weight loss, while younger age patients were significantly presented with neck lumps. There was a highly significant association between the advanced ECOG performance scale and older age patients at diagnosis. A significant association was observed between the death outcome of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and older age patients at diagnosis. The mean survival duration of younger age patients at diagnosis was significantly longer than the mean survival duration of older age patients at diagnosis. Conclusions: clinical presentation, physical status, death rates, and survival of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Kurdistan region-Iraq are different between young and older age patients. Keywords: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, age, death, Survival.