An autopsy study of misdiagnosed Hemato-lymphoid disorders

Hemato-lymphoid disorders can range from simple nutritional anemias to leukemias and lymphomas. Precise analysis of causes of death is needed to focus research efforts and improve morbidity and mortality in Hemato-lymphoid disorders.^[1] The morphological evidence of the cause of death was studied in 48 autopsies of hematolymphoid disorders. 16 cases of indolent hematolymphoid disorders were detected which remained undiagnosed during their lifetime and hence were untreated. The clinical presentation and the cause of death in these patients was studied and the reason for such cases being not diagnosed in time was analysed. Most of these patients presented to the tertiary care centre at a very late stage during the course of their disease. Before admission at this tertiary care centre, most of these cases were misdiagnosed as acute febrile illness as the presenting symptom was that of fever.