Bone marrow involvement at onset of Hodgkin's disease
Cimino, G.; Anselmo, A.P.; De Luca, A.M.; Fidani, P.; Mauro, F.; Marzullo, A.; Maurizi Enrici, R.; Papa, G.
Tumori 69(1): 47-51
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-8916 PMID: 6836748 Document Number: 200590
Bilateral trephine bone marrow biopsies of 370 patients with Hodgkin's disease first seen between 1970 and 1981, revealed tumor involvement of the bone marrow in 18 cases. The histologic type was mixed cellularity in 7 cases, lymphocytic depletion in 4 cases, nodular sclerosis in 4 cases and lymphocytic prevalence in 1 case. Anemia with less than 10 g/dl of Hb was observed in 5 patients; white blood cells were less than 4.0 .times. 109/l in 2 patients; platelets were less than 12.0 .times. 109/l in 1 case; a pancytopenic condition was observed in only 1 case. B symptoms were present in 14 of the 18 patients. All patients who underwent laparosplenectomy presented spleen involvement, 4 also had liver involvement. All patients were treated with chemotherapy; mechlorethamine, oncovin, procarbazine, prednisone regimen was employed in 11 cases; adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and imidaxole carboxamide in 5 patients, and PROVECIP in 1 case. Of the 13 patients evaluable for therapeutic response, 11 achieved complete remission with a median actuarial relapse-free survival of 15 mo. The actuarial survival curve showed that 50% of all patients are projected alive at 47 mo. with a follow-up ranging from 1-109 mo.