Clinico-pathological study of malignant lymphoma in Jamaica

ABSTRACT

Malignant Lymphoma is a group of diseases of neoplastic aetiology affecting the lymphatic system. Since the description of the Burkitt's tumour (African lymphoma) as a separate entity, and the possibility of virus causation and transmission by insect vectors, there has been a great resurgence of interest in this group of diseases. As the population of Jamaica is of predominantly African origin, even though the environment is different, the study of this group of diseases here may be of considerable interest. The classification of this group has for long been very complex and confused. Even since it has been agreed that histological criteria are the only ones which can be acceptable for accurate diagnosis, there has been no classification, which would satisfy all the workers in the field. But it has long been agreed that simplicity and acceptability are most important criteria regarding classification. Thus a simple classification, which is acceptable to most workers in the field has been used here. Thus malignant lymphoma has been classified as follows reticulum cell sarcoma, lymphosarcoma, hodgkin's disease, giant follicular lymphoma, Burkitt's tumour (African lymphoma). Between 1958-1965 221 cases of malignant lymphoma were seen. These were divided as follows reticulum cell sarcoma - 30(14 percent), lymphosarcoma - 73(33 percent), Hodgkin's Disease - 114(51.5 percent), giant follicular lymphoma - 3(1.5 percent), Burkitt's tumour (African lymphoma) - 0. It was found that patients affected by these diseases came to seek medical advice relatively late and that the follow-up is inadequate due to default by patients. There is similarity to the disease pattern of North America and European lymphoma and not to the African lymphoma (AU)