Type Distribution of Lymphomas in Lebanon: Five-Year Single Institution Experience

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Lymphomas represent the fifth most frequent cancer in Lebanon. However, little is knownconcerning epidemiologic characteristics and distribution of lymphoid neoplasms according to the 2008 WHOclassification. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: We conducted a retrospective study of lymphoma cases diagnosed from2008 till 2012 at Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital. <br/><b>Results</b>: A total of 502 new cases of lymphoma werediagnosed at our institution during a five year period: 119 cases (24%) were Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and 383cases (76%) were non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). HLs were equally distributed in both sexes with a meanage at diagnosis of 30 years. Among NHL, 87% (332 cases) were B cell lymphomas, 9% (34 cases) were T celllymphomas and 4%(17 cases) were classified as precursor lymphoid neoplasms. Among B cell lymphomas,44% (147 cases) were diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL), 20% (65 cases) follicular lymphomas and 8%(27 cases) mantle cell lymphomas. DLBCL were equally distributed in both sexes with a mean age of 58 years.Follicular lymphomas were characterized by a male predominance (57%) and a mean age of 60 years. Mantlecell lymphomas showed a pronounced male predominance (85%) with a mean age of 60 years in men and 70years in women. Some 72% of patients having T cell lymphomas were men, with a mean age of 57 years in menand 45 years in women, while 65% of patients having precursor lymphoid neoplasms were women with a meanage of 22 years in women and 30 years in men. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: The lymphoma subtype distribution in Lebanon isunique when compared to other countries from around the world. In fact, Hodgkin and follicular lymphomasare more frequent than in most Far Eastern, European and American countries, while T-cell lymphomas andDLBCL are less frequent.