Indolent lymphoma: diagnosis and prognosis in medical practice

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas represent malignant tumors of lymphoid cells. These chronic lymphoproliferative disorders stand for malignancies with varied histological aspects, clinical features, evolution, prognosis and aggressiveness. Follicular lymphomas are the most frequent form of indolent lymphomas and they represent around 25% of all malignant lymphomas in adults.

Between 2011 and 2012, we have retrospectively observed, analyzed and described a group of 24 patients diagnosed with follicular lymphomas in the Department of Hematology from Coltea Hospital. The admittance criteria were: age, gender, hemoglobin and LDH levels, number lymph nodes affected and the Ann Arbor lymphoma staging system. Also used as patient study parameters were the following immunohistochemical criteria: CD20, UCHL1, CD79a, expression of Bcl 2 and Bcl 6, CD10 and the proliferative index (Ki-67).

Multiple studies have shown that prognosis depends far more on clinical and histology parameters, including age, the presence of extra-node diseases and the performance status. In our study, regarding the ratio between the two genders, the male patients were more numerous than the female patients. The impairment of the male patients is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. From the age perspective, most of the diagnosed patients were part of the age group over 60. The age exceeding 60 is considered a negative prognosis factor. The serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level is also considered an unfavorable prognosis factor. In our study, stage III and IV were frequently and this represents a poor prognosis factor.

Although it was a small number of patients, the results obtained correspond to the results existing in literature.