[Lymphomas and HIV infection in a reference hospital of Santiago, Chile: 1990-2002: report of 14 cases and review].

UNLABELLED: The association of HIV infection and lymphoma in patients attending at the South Health Metropolitan Reference Centre is presented.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse its incidence, clinical and pathologic manifestations, treatment and outcome.

PERIOD OF STUDY: January 1990 to December 2002.

RESULTS

14 cases were detected, 10 non Hodgkin lymphoma patients (7 with high malignancy and 50% in stages III-IVB) and 4 with Hodgkin lymphoma (3 with mixed cellularity, 2 in stage IVB). The annual incidence was 0.68%. Ten patients were classified under stage C3 of AIDS CDC criteria, the mean CD4 count was 139 cells/mm3 and mean CV was 5,32 log. Eighty six percent of patients presented with unique or multiples lymphonodes, with predominance of advanced lymphoma stage. Conventional CHOP chemotherapy was the treatment for high risk and extended non Hodgkin lymphomas and for extended Hodgkin lymphomas the ABVD protocol was administered. Six patients received antiretroviral therapy, 4 simultaneously with chemotherapy. Global mortality in this series was 71%, attributable to tumor disease per se or to sepsis. Four patients survived (18 to 50 months) in complete remission, 2 non Hodgkin lymphomas and 2 Hodgkin lymphomas. The low incidence of lymphoma and AIDS association and the high frequency of lymphomas with localized or generalized lymphonodes in this series are remarkable.