Hodgkins lymphoma evolution

Hodgkin's lymphoma, formerly known as Hodgkin's disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the bodys immune system.

In Hodgkin's lymphoma, cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread beyond the lymphatic system. As Hodgkin's lymphoma progresses, it compromises the body's ability to fight infection.

Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of two common types of cancers of the lymphatic system. The other type, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is far more common.

Advances in diagnosis and treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma have helped give people with this diagnosis the chance for a full recovery. The prognosis continues to improve for people with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We investigated a total of 52 patients between 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2013 in Hematology Clinic that were diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and we concluded that:

The highest incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma was found in young patients from urban areas;

From a histopathological view the nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma is clearly predominant;

Most lymphomas were diagnosed in advanced stages (III and IV), and the fewest lymphomas were diagnosed in the early stage;

Most patients showed general symptoms during the diagnosis regardless of the stage of their lymphoma;

Weight loss is the most common problem the patients accused, followed by profuse sweating and a fever;

From the majority of patients presenting lymphatic nodes at diagnosis, only 50% of them were located sub-diaphragmatically, the rest being either above the diaphragm or in a generalized form;

Major changes in the blood counts were anemia, neutropenia, lymphopenia and monocytosis;

More than half of patients in the study were newly diagnosed patients, the rest being in partial remission of the disease, and a small percentage in relapse;

100% of the patients included in the study received chemotherapy, the vast majority receiving ABVD type of treatment;

Most patients had a favourable evolution, over three quarters of the patients having partial remission or a form of stationary disease. It is to be noted that a percentage of 15.38% of patients achieved a complete remission.