[Morbus Hodgkin in autopsies today (author's transl)]

Abstract

In Hodgkin's disease, good clinical results are obtained by the modern combined treatment with irradiation and chemotherapy. An examination of autopsy findings show in the period 1955-1964 a mean survival time (measured from first biopsy until death) of 22 month, in the period 1965-1973 of 42 month. In contrast to first biopsies, autopsies have a prevalence to the reticular "Hodgkin-sarcoma" .41% of all cases are of this type. 12 of these cases had changed from the lymphocytic predominaut type or from nodular sclerosis, to the reticular type. This augmentation of the reticular type is seen as a consequence of modern therapy. In 18 autopsies, histologic classification was rendered impossible by massive scarring. 8 cases of the period 1965-1973 did not show any lymphogranulomatous tissue and could be morphologically defined as "cured". Therapeutic damages were found in 15 cases. 6 cases had diffuse pulmonary fibrosis. The therapy provoked scars could be differentiated histologically from the hyalinizations occurring in nodular sclerosis and in diffuse fibrosis.