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Hodgkin's disease in the Philippines
A F Paulino1, E Paulino-Cabrera, L M Weiss
1Department of Pathology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, USA.
Summary
Hodgkin
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pathology
- Virology
Background:
- Hodgkin's disease (HD) prevalence and characteristics vary globally.
- The epidemiology and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) association of HD in the Philippines remain unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence, demographic, histologic, and EBV association of Hodgkin's disease in the Philippines.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 21 Hodgkin's disease cases diagnosed between 1989-1994.
- Histologic subtyping and immunohistochemical analysis for EBV latent membrane protein.
- In situ hybridization to confirm EBV RNA presence.
Main Results:
- Hodgkin's disease is uncommon in the Philippines (0.03% of specimens).
- Age distribution and histologic subtypes resemble Western countries, unlike other Asian nations.
- Epstein-Barr virus was detected in 9 of 21 cases, predominantly in mixed cellularity subtypes.
Conclusions:
- Philippine HD cases show a unique epidemiological profile, distinct from regional patterns but similar to Western countries.
- EBV is a significant factor in a subset of Philippine Hodgkin's disease cases, particularly mixed cellularity.