Background and aim: Several reports have suggested that diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) developing in HCV-positive patients might originate from HCV-related, low grade B cell non Hodgkin’s lymphomas (B-NHL). We have evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection in B-NHL, and analyzed if different features could differentiate low grade from high grade HCVpositive B-NHL patients. Methods: 125 consecutive cases of B cells-NHL recruited from January 2008 to January 2009. All patients were tested for HCV antibodies. Those positive underwent HCV genotype testing and HCVRNA titles. Lymphoma was staged according to current hematological guidelines and patients categorized according to the WHO classification. Results: eighteen out of 125 (14.4%) B-NHL patients were HCV positive. Six were DLBCL while 13 were low grade B-NHL. In detail, there were 7 marginal zone lymphoma, 3 follicular lymphoma, 2 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and 1 lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Data are reported as median (range) or number/total (%), and evaluated by nonparametric unpaired tests and Fisher test as appropriate. Conclusion: Our result are in keeping with those obtained in previous studies reporting an elevated prevalence of HCV infection in B cells-NHL in our Country. Male sex was prevalent in HCV-positive DLBCL. DLBCL showed a significantly higher prevalence of genotype 1, while genotype 2 was more prevalent in the low grade lymphoma group. In DLBCL a younger age of the patients, and a minor duration of HCV infection were detected respect to low grade lymphoma. The higher prevalence of genotype 2 in low grade lymphoma further supports a possible role of this genotype in determining disease development as previously suggested. DLBCL could instead be considered a “de novo lymphoma” in whom HCV infection plays a limited role in disease development. Antiviral treatment should be reserved only to low grade B-NHL in order to remove the chronic indirect immunostimulation exerted by HCV infection.
PREVALENCE OF HCV-POSITIVE STATUS AND GENOTYPE IN B-CELL NON HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA PATIENTS IN A POPULATION FROM CENTRAL ITALY
Picardi A;
2009-01-01
Abstract
Background and aim: Several reports have suggested that diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) developing in HCV-positive patients might originate from HCV-related, low grade B cell non Hodgkin’s lymphomas (B-NHL). We have evaluated the prevalence of HCV infection in B-NHL, and analyzed if different features could differentiate low grade from high grade HCVpositive B-NHL patients. Methods: 125 consecutive cases of B cells-NHL recruited from January 2008 to January 2009. All patients were tested for HCV antibodies. Those positive underwent HCV genotype testing and HCVRNA titles. Lymphoma was staged according to current hematological guidelines and patients categorized according to the WHO classification. Results: eighteen out of 125 (14.4%) B-NHL patients were HCV positive. Six were DLBCL while 13 were low grade B-NHL. In detail, there were 7 marginal zone lymphoma, 3 follicular lymphoma, 2 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and 1 lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Data are reported as median (range) or number/total (%), and evaluated by nonparametric unpaired tests and Fisher test as appropriate. Conclusion: Our result are in keeping with those obtained in previous studies reporting an elevated prevalence of HCV infection in B cells-NHL in our Country. Male sex was prevalent in HCV-positive DLBCL. DLBCL showed a significantly higher prevalence of genotype 1, while genotype 2 was more prevalent in the low grade lymphoma group. In DLBCL a younger age of the patients, and a minor duration of HCV infection were detected respect to low grade lymphoma. The higher prevalence of genotype 2 in low grade lymphoma further supports a possible role of this genotype in determining disease development as previously suggested. DLBCL could instead be considered a “de novo lymphoma” in whom HCV infection plays a limited role in disease development. Antiviral treatment should be reserved only to low grade B-NHL in order to remove the chronic indirect immunostimulation exerted by HCV infection.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
