Chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a young population.

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an uncommon hematological malignancy in the Middle East.
• Limited data exists on CLL prognosis and characteristics in this region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, and prognostic factors of CLL in the Middle East.
• To compare the Middle Eastern CLL cohort with international data.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 219 CLL patients diagnosed between 2009-2020 at Kuwait Cancer Center.
• Data collected included diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, response, and adverse events per International Workshop on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia guidelines.
• Analysis included fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for genetic markers and IGHV mutation status.

Main Results:

• The crude annual incidence of CLL was 0.4 per 100,000.
• The median age at diagnosis was 59 years, with 32% of patients ≤ 55 years.
• Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 178 months and overall survival (OS) was 203 months. Unmutated IGHV status was associated with shorter PFS (24 months) compared to mutated status (not reached).

Conclusions:

• CLL is a rare hematological malignancy in the Middle East.
• The Kuwaiti CLL cohort is characterized by a younger age at diagnosis and lower incidence of del13q compared to other populations.
• Similar rates of IGHV mutations were observed, suggesting potential differences in disease biology or presentation in this region.