HODGKINS-DISEASE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Hodgkin's disease CHD) varies in prevalence, morphologic findings, and association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in different parts of the w orld, HD in the Philipines and its relationship to EBV has not been st udied. We reviewed all cases of HD in the Philippines for the years 19 89 to 1994, diagnosed at three large hospitals in Manila and Cavite. D uring this study period, 68,121 surgical specimens were accessioned, o f which there were 21 cases (0.03%) of HD. There were 11 males and nin e females; sex was unknown in one case. The median age was 22 yr (rang e, 11 to 64 yr). Thirteen cases occurred in patients less than 30 yr o ld, including six of 11 males and seven of nine females. The remaining cases were distributed among other age groups, with five cases in mal es occurring after the age of 50 yr. There were 10 cases of nodular sc lerosis, nine cases of mixed cellularity, and two cases of nodular lym phocytic predominance. Nine cases were positive for EBV latent membran e protein: six of nine mixed cellularity and three of 10 nodular scler osis. In situ hybridization confirmed the immunohistochemical results, and revealed EBV RNA predominantly in Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin cell s, A few small lymphocytes were also positive in many cases, These res ults suggest that HD is uncommon in the Philippines, similar to other Asian countries such as Japan. However, the age distribution and histo logic subtypes of HD in the Philippines seem to be more similar to tha t of Western industrialized countries such as the United States. EBV w as present in a subset of cases, most frequently in mixed cellularity.