Lymphomas in Iran.

BACKGROUND The present study aimed at examining the lymphomas in Iran. METHODS This study was conducted in 1994 on patients' specimens who were referred to our centers during 1981-1994. Using the histochemical methods, the immunohistochemical markers were used to examine the biopsied specimens of 434 patients with non-Hodgkin's and Hodgkin's lymphomas. The patients were classified according to the updated Kiel and Rye classifications, respectively. RESULTS Out of the 385 cases that were diagnosed as lymphoma, 277 had non-Hodgkin's and 108 had Hodgkin's lymphomas. Sixty-four point five percent of those with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma had the B type disease; 7.5% had the T-type; and the remaining 28% had Hodgkin's lymphoma. In the present study, most (48%) patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma had mixed cellularity whereas in western countries the most common type is reported to be nodular sclerosis (69.4%). CONCLUSION The comparison made between the findings of this study and those of western countries indicates that high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are more prevalent in Iran.