Bone marrow biopsy in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a study of 208 cases

In 208 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in which a bone marrow biopsy has been performed, the correlation between histopathological bone marrow patterns (interstitial, nodular, mixed and diffuse) and both Rai's clinical stages and the recent International Workshop on CLL proposal (A, B, C stages) has been analyzed. In general, a fairly good correlation has been found between the bone marrow patterns and both Rai's and A, B, C systems. As far as the correlation between the bone marrow patterns and the tumoral load (lymphadenopathy, organomegalies, lymphocytosis, anaemia and thrombocytopenia) is concerned, the correlation was also fairly good. Bone marrow pattern is an important prognostic factor in CLL and it is suggested to use a combined clinical and pathological (bone marrow biopsy) staging in CLL.