Clinicopathological features and outcome of pediatric non-lymphoblastic non-hodgkins lymphoma - an institutional experience.

Background: Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) of childhood accounts approximately 60% of lymphomas and malignant lymphomas are the third most commonest group after leukaemia, brain tumors. Need for the study: There exists paucity of data on paediatric Non Lymphoblastic Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma from developing countries, we conducted this study to know the clinic-pathological profile, treatment and survival outcome of these children. Design/Methods: This study is a retrospective descriptive analytical study of all the Non Lymphoblastic Non Hodgkins Lymphoma patients diagnosed and treated at department of paediatric oncology, Kidwai cancer institute from January 2009 to December 2014. Results: Seventy one patients aged less than 15 years were included in this study, there were males (n=53) and females (n=18) with male: female ration being 3:1. The most common site involved at the time of presentation was intrabdominal (n=32,45%) The most common pathological subtype was Burkitt lymphoma(37,52%) followed by ALCL(20,28%),DLBCL(14,20%),majority of children were stage lll (n=54,76%) as per St Judes staging for Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. 42 (71.2%) patients were treated with MCP 842 and 17(28.8%) were treated COMP protocols. The 3 year DFS was for Burkitt, ALCL, DLBCL were 90%, 66.7%,90% respectively. Conclusion: The outcomes in non lymphoblastic NHL from our centre were almost equivalent to western data, short intensive chemotherapy and good supportive care has pivotal role in the management of these tumours even in advanced stages of the tumours.