PURPOSE: Non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) is recognized as not a single disease but a group of diseases heterogeneous in biology and clinical characteristics. Recently, a new pathologic classification system, the REAL classification, has been introduced into the clinic. Although REAL classification has tried to define the subtypes biologically more correctly, its clinical usefulness has not been established yet. A retrospective study was performed to define the clinical characteristics of Korean NHLs according to the REAL classification and to determine its clinical usefulness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pathologies of NHLs managed at 3 major hospitals in Korea between 1989 and 1995 were reviewed with immunophenotyping to determine the pathologic subtypes according to REAL classification. Clinical characteristics at the presentation and treatment outcomes of the eligible patients were analyzed. To determine the differences from the NHLs in the western countries, data of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Classification Project (NHLCP) were also compared. RESULTS: Total 802 cases were eligible for this study. Although it was similar to NHLCP study that B-cell subtypes were the majority and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common subtype, the proportion of T-cell subtypes were much higher in our patient population than in the western population. It was because peripheral T-cell lymphomas, angiocentric lymphoma in particular, were more common and follicular lymphomas were less common in our patients. Eleven common pathologic subtypes could be classified into 3 prognostic groups. Marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma of which 5-year overall survival rate (5-yOSR) were > 80% were classified in the good prognostic group. Precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma was classified in the poor prognostic group because its 5-yOSR was less than 30%. The other 9 subtypes were classified in the intermediate prognostic group with S-yOSR of 30-79%. CONCLUSION: The clinical. character' tics and prognoses of Korean NHLs could be defined according to REAL classification. These information would be helpful for the clinicians in formulating treatment strategies of Korean NHLs according to REAL classification.
B-Lymphocytes ; Biology ; Classification* ; Hodgkin Disease* ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Lymphoma, Follicular ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tics ; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia