Reversible deficiency of serum high density lipoproteins in Hodgkin's disease

An elderly woman with Hodgkin's disease and hepatic involvement but without cholestasis presented with markedly depressed levels of serum esterified cholesterol and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Within five days of her first cycle of chemotherapy her serum HDL-cholesterol rose from 8-10 mg/dl to 88 mg/dl, and levels of the major HDL-apoprotein, apoA-I, rose from 60 to 138 mg/dl. The proportion of unesterified serum cholesterol fell from 60-80% to 27-30%. These observations suggest a relatively specific effect of the hepatic lymphoma on synthesis or release of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase.