Clinico-pathological study of Hodgkin's lymphoma in a cancer center in Taiwan

Abstract

The incidence rate of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) in Asia is much lower than that of western countries. This study demonstrates the incidence rate and the clinico-pathological features of HL in a cancer center in Taiwan with respect to demographics, histological subtypes and clinical outcomes. We evaluated the clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical features of 42 patients with HL during the period of 1995-2002. Clinico-pathological features and follow-up were scrutinized. There were 21 males and 21 females. The incidence rate of HL in malignant lymphoma in our center was 7%. The median age was 26 years old. There was no apparent bimodal age distribution. The most prevalent histological subtype was nodular sclerosis (69%). Mixed cellularity, lymphocyte rich, lymphocyte depletion, nodular lymphocyte predominance and unclassified was 4.8%, 4.8%, 0%, 7% and 14% respectively. The most common site at presentation was the cervical lymph node (31 cases; 74%). Clinically, 1 (2%) had stage I disease, 23 (55%) stage II, 8 (19%) stage III and 10 (24%) stage IV. Two cases had rare primary bone marrow HL of stage IV. Both cases died within 1 month. Clinical stage (P=0.09) and age (P<0.001) were prognostic parameters determining the overall survival.