ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the prevalence of lymphoma subtypes in Shanxi according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification, and to compare the figures with those in other parts of the world.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of 447 lymphoma cases from the archive files of Shanxi Tumor Hospital were reviewed. Immunohistochemical study was performed using a panel of antibodies, including ALK1, bcl-6, CD (1a, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 20, 23, 30, 43, 56, 68, 79a and 99), cyclin D1, EMA, IgD, kappa, lambda, LMP1, PAX5, TdT and Vs38C. In addition, in-situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) was carried out. All cases were then reclassified according to the latest WHO classification of lymphoma.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 447 cases studied, 385 cases (86.1%) were confirmed to be non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), while 62 cases (13.9%) belonged to classic Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Of the NHL cases, 68.3% were of B-cell lineage and 30.6% were of T and/or NK-cell lineage. Histiocytic neoplasm accounted for only 0.8% (3 cases). As for the subtyping of NHL, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was commonest (35.1%), followed by peripheral T-cell lymphoma, NOS (12.0%), extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MALT lymphoma) (11.7%), follicular lymphoma (8.6%), T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (7.0%), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (4.2%), B-small lymphocytic lymphoma (3.6%) and mantle cell lymphoma (2.6%). Amongst the 263 cases of B-cell lymphoma, 105 cases (39.9%) expressed immunoglobulin light chain (kappa in 52 cases and lambda in 53 cases) in paraffin sections. Regarding markers for EB virus infection, 14 cases of the B-cell lymphoma gave positive findings with both EBER in-situ hybridization and LMP-1 immunohistochemistry, while 6 of the T/NK-cell lymphoma expressed LMP-1 and 19 showed positive signals for EBER. In NHL, there was discordance in EBER in-situ hybridization and LMP-1 immunohistochemical results. As for HL, EB virus positivity was noted in 37 of the 62 cases (59.7%), including 7 cases of lymphocyte-rich HL, 11 cases of mixed cellularity HL and 19 cases of nodular sclerosis HL. In classic HL, there was complete concordance of results by both EBER in-situ hybridization and LMP-1 immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The prevalence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in Shanxi is similar to that in America, Australia, Japan and Korea. The incidence of follicular lymphoma however is much lower than America and Australia.</p>