THE AIM of the study was to asses the validity of CD20 expression on H-RS cells as independent prognostic factor in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Methods: 72 patients (44 men and 28 women) between 15 and 73 y.o. (av. 36,5 y.o) treated in the Department of Oncological Chemotherapy of Silesian Medical Academy (1992-2002) were included in the study. Tissue specimens were immunohistochemically stained with monoclonal antibodies for CD20.
Results: Analyzed group was classified according to histological subtype as follows: LP - n = 3, NS - n = 26, MC - n = 23, LR - n = 7 and LD - n = 13. Overall survival (OS) for the group was from 3 to 169 months (av. 64,5), disease free survival (DFS) - 4 to 167 months (av. 44,8) respectively. CD20 expression on H-RS cells was found in 13,9% subjects. Statistically significant difference (p = 0,0001) in DFS has been found between groups with and without CD20 expression. Results of this study are preliminary and should be confirmed in larger prospective studies.