[Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Dakar: study of 107 cases diagnosed between 1986 and 1998]

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (NHL) are the most prevalent malignant hemopathies in Senegal. In this study we have investigated the epidemiological aspects considering the HIV infection pandemic, and evaluated the diagnosis means and evolutive features of this disease in Dakar. Between 1986 and 1998 (13 years), we collected 107 cases of NHL, all histologically confirmed. Average age of patients was 31.4 years (2-85 years) and sex ratio was 21. HIV infection was found in three out of 62 patients tested (4.8%). At moment of diagnosis, 72% of patients were in stage III or IV according to the Ann Arbor Staging System. Large cell lymphomas were predominant (67.2%), followed by small lymphocyte lymphomas (24.2%) and follicular lymphoma with 8.4% of cases. Localization of lymphomas was exclusively nodal (30.8%) or extra nodal (31.7%) or mixed (37.3%). In therapeutical field, 21.5% of patients were treated with only symptomatical means. Chemotherapy was used in 54 patients (78.2% of treated patients), surgery was performed in 6 patients (8.6%), association of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in 5 patients (7.2%) and 4 patients (5.7%) were treated with surgery + chemotherapy. The average survival time was 344 days. Four patients (3.7%) were alive 3 years after diagnosis and only 2 patients (1.8%) after 5 years.