Hodgkin's disease: Kuwait experience

ABSTRACT

To describe histologic subtypes, clinical presentation and treatment outcome of Hodgkin's lymphoma in Kuwait. Subjects and Method: Patients older than 15 years, diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma between 1980 and 1998, were included in this retrospective analysis. Data were collected using a standardized form that included demographics, histologic subtypes, clinical presentation, stage, extranodal involvement, treatment modality and follow-up. Histology reports were obtained from hospital records. There were 83 [59%] males and 57 [41%] females. Dominant histologic subtypes were nodular sclerosis 65 [46.4%] and mixed cellularity 42 [30%]. Constitutional symptoms were reported by 54 [38.6%] of the cases. Two thirds [64%] of the cases were advanced. Primary extranodular involvement included liver [8%], gastrointestinal tract [7%], lung and bone marrow [4% each]. Disease-free survival according to treatment groups were radiotherapy alone 100%, chemotherapy alone 88%, and combined modality 65%. The 5-year Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall disease-free survival was 84%. In the cohort of 137 patients with Hodgkin's disease the treatment with combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy had a remarkable outcome. However, evaluation of long-term treatment complications is needed