Clinical significance of quantitative analysis of plasma epstein- barr virus DNA in patients of Xinjiang Uygur nationality with Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Frequency and Pattern of Bone Marrow Infiltration in Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Experience from Southern Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Hodgkin's lymphoma (formerly, Hodgkins disease) is a potentially curable malignancy with distinctive biological behavior and specific clinical characteristics. Limited information is available from developing countries for patients with classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL). Therefore we reviewed the demographical and clinico-hematological profiles along with bone marrow infiltration patterns in adult patients presenting at Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross sectional study, 62 adult (≥15 years) patients with cHL were enrolled from January 2010 to December 2014.

RESULTS

The mean age was 29.7±13.8 years with a median of 30 years. The male to female ratio was 2:1. B symptoms were present in 72.5% of patients and lymph node enlargement in 85.4%. The frequency of bone marrow infiltration in our cHL patients was found to be 27.4%, the pattern being predominantly focal followed by diffuse. The mean hemoglobin was 9.4±1.9g/dl with a mean MCV of 78.1±7.9 fl, a mean total leukocyte count of 10.9±20.6x109/l and a mean platelet count of 241.6±150.1x109/l.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis shows that clinico-pathological features of cHL in Pakistan are comparable to published data. Peripheral lymphodenopathy associated with B symptoms is the commonest presentation. Bone marrow involvement is more common in our setup as patients usually presented at an advanced stage of disease.

Type distribution of lymphomas in Lebanon: five-year single institution experience

BACKGROUND

Lymphomas represent the fifth most frequent cancer in Lebanon. However, little is known concerning epidemiologic characteristics and distribution of lymphoid neoplasms according to the 2008 WHO classification.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of lymphoma cases diagnosed from 2008 till 2012 at Hotel-Dieu de France University Hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 502 new cases of lymphoma were diagnosed at our institution during a five year period: 119 cases (24%) were Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and 383 cases (76%) were non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). HLs were equally distributed in both sexes with a mean age at diagnosis of 30 years. Among NHL, 87% (332 cases) were B cell lymphomas, 9% (34 cases) were T cell lymphomas and 4%(17 cases) were classified as precursor lymphoid neoplasms. Among B cell lymphomas, 44% (147 cases) were diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL), 20% (65 cases) follicular lymphomas and 8% (27 cases) mantle cell lymphomas. DLBCL were equally distributed in both sexes with a mean age of 58 years. Follicular lymphomas were characterized by a male predominance (57%) and a mean age of 60 years. Mantle cell lymphomas showed a pronounced male predominance (85%) with a mean age of 60 years in men and 70 years in women. Some 72% of patients having T cell lymphomas were men, with a mean age of 57 years in men and 45 years in women, while 65% of patients having precursor lymphoid neoplasms were women with a mean age of 22 years in women and 30 years in men.

CONCLUSIONS

The lymphoma subtype distribution in Lebanon is unique when compared to other countries from around the world. In fact, Hodgkin and follicular lymphomas are more frequent than in most Far Eastern, European and American countries, while T-cell lymphomas and DLBCL are less frequent.