NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS IN THAILAND - A RETROSPECTIVE PATHOLOGICAL ANDCLINICAL ANALYSIS OF 1391 GASES

BACKGROUND. Geographic variations in the histopathologic pattern of no n-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are well documented. Insight into this epid emiologic data might shed light on the underlying etiology. Currently, there is a paucity of information regarding the pattern of NHL occurr ing in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The current nationwide study was u ndertaken to obtain a clearer definition of the disease among Thais an d to compare this information with data from other Asian and Western c ountries. METHODS. A retrospective analysis of histopathologic subtype s and clinical features was conducted in 1391 patients (age greater th an or equal to 15 years) with NHL who were treated at 6 major medical centers in 4 representative areas of Thailand. One hundred and thirty unselected cases were immunohistochemically studied. The reports from other countries used for comparison were identified through a computer ized search on MEDLINE. RESULTS. Of the total cases studied, follicula r lymphomas constituted 3.8% and diffuse lymphomas 91.4%. The frequenc y of low and intermediate grade (including large cell immunoblastic, u sing the Working Formulation) were 12.8% and 72.9%, respectively. The most common histologic subtype was the diffuse large cell and large ce ll immunoblastic entity, which constituted 39.9% of the cases studied. The rate of small lymphocytic and diffuse small cleaved subtypes were higher than in the United States. Of the 130 cases studied, T-cell ly mphoma comprised 16.1%, which was much less than in Japan, China, or T aiwan. CONCLUSIONS. The histopathologic pattern of NHL in Thailand was characterized by the features noted for Asia, i.e., a low rate of the follicular entity and a preponderance of the diffuse aggressive subty pes. In addition, the frequency of the small lymphocytic and diffuse s mall cleaved subtypes were increased compared with the Western populat ion and the rate of T-cell lymphoma appeared to be less than in Far Ea st Asia. (C) 1996 American Cancer Society.