Clinical profiles of human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphoma in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE To identify the clinical and prognostic features of human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphoma in the local population with a view to designing more effective treatment strategies. DESIGN Retrospective review. SETTING Referral hospital, Hong Kong. SUBJECTS AND METHODS All patients (n=10) with human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphoma managed at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from January 1995 to December 2001. RESULTS All patients were men with a median age of 39 years. The median CD4 cell count at the time of diagnosis of lymphoma was 0.056 x 10(9)/L. All tumours were diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, with the exception of one systemic Burkittlike lymphoma. Systemic lymphoma was diagnosed in seven patients and three had primary central nervous system lymphoma. Combined antiretroviral therapy was continued or given to five of the six patients who received some form of chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment. Of the two patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma who received whole brain irradiation therapy, one patient survived 41 months in clinical remission after diagnosis and the other patient died of sepsis while in partial remission 19 months after diagnosis. The four patients with systemic lymphoma who received standard- or reduced-dose chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone had a median survival of 3 months. CONCLUSION The clinical profiles of these patients were similar to those of patients with human immunodeficiency virus-associated lymphoma in western countries. The overall survival of patients was poor with conventional chemoradiotherapy. Other innovative treatment approaches should be investigated to prolong the survival of this patient group.