Author(s)
Marifat Nisar, MR khushiram Sharma
- Manuscript ID: 120890
- Volume 2, Issue 6, Jun 2026
- Pages: 2071–2082
Subject Area: Other
Abstract
Leukemia represents a group of hematological malignancies characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. The peripheral blood smear examination remains one of the most fundamental and cost-effective diagnostic tools in the evaluation of suspected leukemia cases. This study was conducted to analyze the peripheral smear findings in patients diagnosed with various types of leukemia and to correlate these findings with the clinical presentation and other hematological parameters.
A total of 100 patients with suspected hematological malignancies were enrolled in this prospective observational study conducted over a period of twelve months. Peripheral blood sampleswerecollectedand subjected tocompletebloodcountanalysisfollowed by careful examination of Leishman-stained peripheral smears. The morphological features of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets were systematically evaluated and documented.
The results revealed that acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was the most common type, accounting for 38% of cases, followed by acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at 31%, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at 18%, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) at 13%. Characteristicperipheralsmear findingsincluded thepresenceof blastcells in acute leukemias, with myeloblasts showingAuer rods inAMLand lymphoblasts demonstrating high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios in ALL. Chronic leukemias showed predominantlymature cell populations with CMLexhibiting the full spectrum of granulocytic precursors and CLL showing small, mature lymphocytes with smudge cells.
Anemia was present in 78% of patients, with normocytic normochromic being the most common type. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 65% of cases. The study concludes that peripheral smear examination continues to be an invaluable diagnostic modality in leukemia, providing rapid and reliable information that guides further diagnostic workup and therapeutic decisions.