HEPATITIS-C VIRUS, MIXED CRYOGLOBULINEMIA AND NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

The aetiology of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas remains a controversial matte r, but, recently, evidence has emerged showing that these neoplastic a berrations of the immune system may be due to viruses, at least in som e cases. In fact, patients affected by an inherited immune deficiency, and those presenting disease characterized by autoimmune dysfunctions , show an increased risk for the development of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma s. Several viruses have been identified as potential aetiologic agents for of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: one of these is the Epstein-Barr viru s, which has been detected in cultures of tumour cells from patients w ith Burkitt's lymphoma: this virus seems to be involved also in. the p athogenesis of some histological variants of Hodgkin's disease. Irt ad dition, the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus family members have also been recognized as possible aetiologic agents for several lymphomas, s uch as cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, T-cell leukaemia and T-cell hairy c ell leukaemia. Recently, hepatitis C virus has been recognized as the aaetiologic agent of mixed cryoglobulinaemia, which can be considered as a benign lymphoproliferative disorder Since mixed cryoglobulinaemia can frequently evolve into more aggressive haematological disorders, an increased prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in non-Hodgkin' s Lymphomas has been found, especially in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymp homas. The possible aetiopathogenetic role of hepatitis C virus in non -Hodgkin's lymphomas is discussed on the basis of molecular; clinical and epidemiological considerations.