Eponyms in Malignant Hematology

Abstract

Eponyms have been traditionally used in the field of medicine to honor the contributions of an individual or group of individuals in understanding a disease. However, many eponyms have come under scrutiny given the personal backgrounds of individuals for whom they intend to honor. As we previously reviewed commonly used eponyms in medical oncology, we now aim to review commonly used eponyms in malignant hematology in order to highlight the individuals for whom they are named after. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology of each disease, epidemiology, and the historical background for the individual or individuals for which the eponym honors.

Keywords: Auer rods; Bence Jones proteins; Burkitt Lymphoma; Hodgkin lymphoma; Malignant hematology eponyms; Reed-Sternberg cells.