Diagnosis Challenges in Adult Leukemia: Insights From a Single-Center Retrospective Study in Qatar (2016-2021)

ObjectivesWhile delays in leukemia detection remain an ongoing challenge in hematologic cancer care, little is known about the factors associated with these delays. This article focuses on identifying the barriers hindering timely diagnosis of leukemia through a cohort analysis (2016-2021) of 220 Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), 161 Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), 90 Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), and 121 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) patients in Qatar.MethodsOf the 592 patients used for the study, subsets were identified and analyzed for delay (423), risk stratification (437), and leukemia stage (282).ResultsThere was an increasing trend in leukemia cases, with 32% of patients being diagnosed in the high-risk category. Out of 423 (median delay = 28 days) patients, 45% reported delayed diagnosis (median delay = 44 days). Further analysis of the association of delayed leukemia diagnosis using the univariate <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>χ</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math>2 independence test revealed significant associations to patient referral type, and the presence of certain comorbidities and symptoms.ConclusionSignificant delays in leukemia diagnosis were identified, though the exact cause remains unclear. These delays can be attributed to factors such as patient, primary care, referral, system, and physician delays. Therefore, further investigation is imperative for improving the detection, diagnosis, and referral processes in hematologic cancers.