PEDIATRIC HODGKIN LYMPHOMA IN TWO SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES: A DISTINCTIVE

MAGALHAES, M.; CHABAY, P.; HASSAN, R.; ASSUMPCAO, L.; DE MATTEO, E.; CARRICO, M.; REY, G.; ZALCBERG, I.; MARIA VICTORIA PRECIADO

Colonia, Alemania

Congreso; 7th International Symposium on Hodgkin Lymphoma; 2007

European Society of Hematology

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) shows a bimodal distribution with a first peak in developing countries during childhood. The causative role and prognostic significance of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) association in patients with HL is controversial. Our aim was to perform a comparative study of EBV association in two Latin American pediatric HL series, and to correlate it with patient's survival. EBERs in situ hibridization and LMP1 immunohistochemistry were performed on formalin-fixed paraffinembedded HL biopsies from 176 pediatric patients from 2 public institutions from Argentina and Southeast Brazil. All the patients received antracycline-based treatments. The median age of Argentine patients was 8 years (2-18) while in Brazilian patients was 14 years (3-18). MC subtype was prevalent in Argentine HL (52%), and NS subtype in Brazilian HL (83%). EBV expression was detected in 52% of cases, namely 54% Argentine HL and 48% Brazilian HL. EBV was significantly associated with MC subtype in both populations. In Argentine HL, EBV positivity was significantly higher in patients