Evaluation of Immunoreactivity of cellular markers of CD15 nad CD30 among patients with classic Hodgkin's lymphoma

Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a curable lymphoid malignancy. Different Immunohistochemical markers specially CD15 & CD30 are used to diagnose HL and differentiate it from other lymphomas including anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL); regarding different reports on the frequency of immunoreactivity for these markers in the literature and lack of information in this regard in Iran, this study is carried out in Iranian Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients to determine the frequency of these markers in Iranian HL patients.

A cross sectional study is carried out on all patients with definite diagnosis of classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma in studied hospitals. Patients were classified according to WHO classification into: mixed cellularity, nodular sclerosis, lymphocyte rich and lymphocyte depletion subtypes. CD15 & CD30 immunophenotype were detected by monoclonal immunostaining method. The frequency was determined in each group and C.I. (confidence interval) was calculated for Iranian population.

The studies carried out on 65 patients. Mean age was 31.9±18.1 years. 28 (43.1%) patients were female and 37 (56.9%) were male. CD15 and CD30 was positive in 50 (76.9%) and 58 (89.2%) respectively. Both markers were positive in 46 (70.8%) and were negative in 3 (4.6%). There was no significant relationship between CD15 and CD30 immunostaining and age and gender (p<0.6).

It seems that there is a high frequency of immunostaining for CD15 or CD30 in Iranian Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients. These markers are useful in diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. However, in CD15 negative, CD30 positive cases, it is better to use additional markers for avoiding misdiagnosis as anaplastic large cell lymphoma.