Effect of non Hodgkin's lymphoma [NHL] in children on serum ferritin and iron status

ABSTRACT

To detect the effect of Non Hodgkin 's lymphoma [NHL] on serum Ferritin and iron status in children, serum level of ferritin, iron total iron binding capacity and percentage of transferrin saturation were studied in 17 [10 male and 7 female] children with NHL as well as 10 [6 male and 4 female] healthy children who served as controls. NHL children showed significantly increased ferritin, iron and% of transferrin saturation together with significant decrease of total iron binding capacity compared with control children. After chemotherapy, serum ferritin exhibited a further significant increase. The high concentration of circulating ferritin seemed to be related to increased synthesis by tumor cells. The further increase after therapy could be attributed to cell injury by chemotherapeutic agents. Significant positive correlation was observed between serum ferritin and the number of circulating lymphocytes, serum iron and% of transferrin saturation in NHL children. However, no significant correlations were found between serum ferritin levels and blood haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume [MCV] and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration [MCHC] or the number of units of blood transfusions used during therapy. The levels of serum iron and% transferrin saturation did not correlate with number of units of blood transfusions used during therapy. The changes in iron concentration could reflect iron overload developing on top of increased requirements for iron by the growing tumor cells. Thus, ferritin could not function as a tumor marker in these children