Clinico-hematological Profile of 184 Patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: An Experience from Southern Pakistan

BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a diverse group of lymphoma comprises of divergent tumors with paradoxical clinical behaviors and potential difference in response to therapy. We conducted a data-base analysis on NHL patients to evaluate the clinico-epidemiological features and WHO spectrum of NHL in Pakistani patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted over a period of 5 years from January 2011 to December 2015 at Hematology department of Liaquat National Hospital. All NHL cases were diagnosed by morphology on H&E sections and Immunohistochemical profile according to WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms. RESULTS: 184 histopathologically confirmed cases of NHL were identified. There were 139 males and 45 females, with a male to female ratio of 3: 1. The mean age was 48.5±16.0 years with the median age of 50 years. B symptoms were present in 80.4% of patients. Lymph node enlargement was present in 71.1% of the cases. 168 patients ad B-cell lymphoma (91.3%) and 16 patients had T-cell (8.6%) lymphoma. Overall 158 (85.8%) patients had aggressive lymphoma. Histopathologically, Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma constituted major subtype in 67.9%, followed by follicular lymphoma in 7.6% patients. Marginal lymphoma in 3.8%patients, 3.2% patients had mantle cell, 2.7% patients of anaplastic large cell and 2.1% patients each for Burkitt's lymphoma and T-cell rich lymphoma. In T cell neoplasm, peripheral T cell lymphoma and adult T cell lymphoma are the main variants accountable in 4.3% and 3.2% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: B cell lymphoma is more frequent than T cell lymphoma with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma being the commonest NHL. Our analysis shows that clinicopathological features of NHL are comparable to published data. However, aggressive lymphoma and predominance of B symptoms are more frequently seen.