Lymphomas in Iran

The present study aimed at examining the lymphomas in Iran. 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. 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%). 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.