[Retrospective study of childhood lymphomas. Report of 27 children treated at a single institution]

Childhood lymphomas represent a heterogeneous group of disorders that are quite different from adult lymphomas. Over the past three decades, empirical chemotherapeutic management has transformed survival figures, and more recently greater understanding of the biology is offering hope for improved management of resistant disease. We present here the experience of a single institution in the management of 27 childhood lymphomas; epidemiological and clinical characteristics are described as well as survival rates. The median follow up of the patients is 4 years 7 months. The five-year overall survival for the entire group is more than 95 %; the 5-year disease free survival is 91,6 % for Hodgkin's lymphomas, 92,8% for non Hodgkin's lymphomas and 100% for Burkitt diseases. Two relapses have occurred and all of them appeared within the 18 months of the diagnosis. No toxic death has been reported.