Abstract

AbstractA retrospective study of 76 cases of lymphocytic lymphomas was made to evaluate factors affecting survival. All patients were staged according to the Ann Arbor classification for Hodgkin's disease. Symptomatic patients (stage II B, III B, IV B) had a one-year survival rate of 16%. None were alive at three years. The rate of survival in asymptomatic patients (stages II A, III A, IV A) was 88% at one year and 60% at three years. Bone marrow involvement, when present, did not alter this pattern of survival and was not a factor in determining prognosis. It was concluded that the presence of systemic symptoms represents one of the most important factors in determining prognosis in lymphocytic lymphomas, and that the reliance on marrow involvement as a means of identifying end-stage disease should be de-emphasized.