Diagnosis and Classification of Leukemias

221 samples of leukemic patients were studied, using morphologic, cytochemical staining pattern and immunophenotyping criteria. Patients included 63 children and 158 adults. Out of the adult group, 110 cases had acute leukemia including 67% AML, 330'{' ALL. In this group, 24 cases of CML" 19 cases of CLL, 4 cases of HCL and one case of plasma cell leukemia were classified. Out of 63 cases of leukemia in children, 79.4% diagnosed as ALL, 19% AML and 1.6% JCML.
Among subgroups of AML in adults, only M4 showed to have significant differences (p= 0.001) with the results from Wester countries.
According to FAB criteria, L 1 and L2 morphology were the most common types of ALL, respectively in children and adults. In adults 15.2% of chronic leukemia belonged to CML and 12% to CLL. The comparsion of present results with other studies in Western countries 'Showed the lower incidence of CML and CLL in Tehran. The difference was significant only in CLL.
Immunophenotype of all CLL cases was B-CLL and no T-CLL was observed. The most common immunophenotype of ALL was C-ALL (68%) and T cell,ALL (530'{') , respectively in children and adults.