[Serumferritin in patients with malignant lymphomas (author's transl)]

Serum of 70 patients with malignant lymphoma was tested for concentration of ferritin by immunoradiometric assay. Serum of patients with Hodgkin's disease showed an apparently increased ferritin concentration only in the stage III and IV. Concentration of serum ferritin was found normal in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of low malignancy. Among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphome of high malignancy only one who suffered from advanced immunoblastic sarcoma showed increased concentration of serum ferritin. Patients with elevated concentration of serum ferritin had a decreased level of serum iron and showed also anemia. Their bone marrow reticulum was rich in dyeing iron. These results suggest that hyperferritinemia in patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease is related to a lack of release of iron from reticuloendothelial system.