CLL-289: CLL/SLL in the Republic of Kosovo

Context Chronic lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) are cancers that affect lymphocytes. CLL and SLL are rare cancers in Kosovo compared with other hematological malignances. With this study, I want to determine the epidemiology, age, gender, and treatment protocols during the years 2015–2020 in patients with CLL / SLL in the Republic of Kosovo. Design and Setting Data collected retrospectively from the statistical chemotherapy treatment protocol books of The University Clinical Center of Kosovo - Hematology Clinic. Microsoft Excel was used. Patients and Other Participants The number of patients that were diagnosed and treated from all the cities in Kosovo was 58. Patients older than the age of 18 were examined; 35 of them were men (60.34%), and 23 of them were women (39.65%). Interventions None. Results The incidence was a bimodal age distribution. The first peak was on the group of ages 60–80 years with 74.14%, and the second peak was on the group of ages 40–60 years with 25.86% of the patients. Five of the patients (8.62 %) were with early stage of low risk (RAI 0 or Binet A for CLL SLL), and seven of them (12.06%) with intermediate risk (RAI I-II or Binet B) disease. Forty-six others (79.31%) with advanced stage / high risk disease (RAI III-IV Binet C) with progressive anemia and thrombocytopenia who have started treatment with chemotherapy were found. Conclusions During the years 2015–2020 in the Republic of Kosovo, 58 patients were diagnosed with CLL / SLL; 46 patients (79.31%) with advanced-stage, high-risk disease (RAI III-IV Binet C) started chemotherapy treatment. Twenty-eight of them were given R-CVP as a first-line treatment; 19 of these patients continued to RFC protocol treatment because of the disease progression. Ten of the patients started with first-line treatment RFC protocol, three died, and five are in ongoing therapy.