Clinical characteristics of patients with hematological malignancies at gondar university hospital, North West Ethiopia.
BACKGROUND
Hematological malignancies are primary cancers of the blood and blood-forming organs (bone marrow and lymphoid tissues), which includes leukemia, lymphoma and plasma cell dyscrasia. The overall incidence of hematological malignancies appears to be rising in United States of America and Europe, and estimated to be rising in Africa. This study was conducted as there is scarcity of information regarding clinical characteristics of hematological malignancies in Ethiopia.


OBJECTIVE
The study aims to determine the distribution and spectrum of various hematological malignancies encountered in the locality.


METHODS
This is a retrospective descriptive study done in Gondar University Hospital, North West Ethiopia from January 2008 to December 2011 in those admitted with the diagnosis of hematological malignancies.


RESULTS
Sixty-seven patients were admitted with the diagnosis of hematological malignancies during the study period The mean and median ages of patients with hematological malignancies were 42 yrs and 45 yrs respectively. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) comprised 22/67 (32.8%) of all hematological malignancies, followed by 17/67 (25.4%) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and 13/67 (19.4%) chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Majority of patients with NHL presented with advanced disease (77%), high-grade type (73%) with B-symptoms (68%), reflecting aggressive nature of the disease. Patients with acute leukemia, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), presented with features of cytopenia (fatigue, fever and bleeding tendency), while chronic leukemia (CML and CLL) cases had fatigue, weight loss and organomegally on admission. Among patients with CML, 12/17 (71%) were in chronic phase, 4/17 (23%) in accelerated phase and 1/17 (6%) in blast phase on admission. Majority of CLL patients had advanced disease on admission with 9/13 (69%) Binet C and 10/13 (76%) (Rai stage III and IV).


CONCLUSIONS
The distribution and spectrum of various hematological malignancies in this study is grossly similar to the pattern reported in other African countries.
Department of Internal Medicine, Gondar University Hospital.
Abilo Tadesse
AT
Weldetsadik
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D055815:Young Adult