HIV-related malignant lymphoma: a report of 46 cases observed in Italy

We report 36 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and 10 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD), predominantly intravenous drug abusers (IVDA; 35 patients), diagnosed in 16 different Italian centers. The group of NHL has a median age of 26 years (range 16-64): 26 were IVDA, 3 polytransfused, 3 IVDA and homosexual men, 2 homosexual men and 2 without apparent risk for AIDS but carrying HIV antibodies. 81% of the evaluable patients had high-grade NHL (32% Burkitt's type) according to the Working Formulation, 15% intermediate and 4% low-grade. Out of 23 patients with stage reported, 16 (70%) were stage IV, 2 (9%) stage III, 1 (4%) stage II and 4 (17%) stage I (CNS involvement). The group with HD has a median age of 25 years (range 20-40), 9 were IVDA and 1 IVDA and homosexual. Of the 7 patients with subtype reported, 4 patients had nodular sclerosis and 3 mixed cellularity subtype. Stage III and IV were reported in 66% of the patients. The median survival is 4 months for NHL and 10 months for HD. The most common cause of death is opportunistic infection in 86% of the evaluable cases.