Erythrocyte survival studies in lymphomas: A prognostic appraisal

Abstract

Erythrocyte survival studies using Radioactive Chromium-51 were made in 20 lymphoma patients and 10 control subjects at the Centre of Radiotherapy and Radiation Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. Monitoring of the counts over hepatic, splenic and cardiac areas was done to detect hypersplenism. The normal T1/2 values ranged from 25-45 days with a mean of 35 days in our series. A majority of the patients with lymphomas showed reduced T1/2 values. The following observations could be made: (1) Patients with advanced disease (Stages III and IV) showed significantly reduced T1/2 values. (ii) None of the patients with the histologic varieties of L.P. and N.S. showed T1/2 values less than 20 days even in Stage III. (iii) Patients with M.C. even when in Stage II and with normal T1/2 values succumbed to the disease within 2 years. (iv) A majority of patients with L.D. were seen in Stage III and had T1/2 of 15 days and died within 2 years. (v) Low R.B.C. T1/2 values do not seem to have a bad prognostic significance in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (period of observation 2 years 6 months). (vi) A significant correlation could be shown between R.B.C. T1/2 values and Hb%. Similarly, patients with normal or near normal T1/2 values had a higher A.E.C. compared to lower values observed in patients with low T1/2 values. This may be a reflection upon the diminishing immunologic status of the patients with advanced disease and R.B.C. T1/2. However, no significant correlation could be observed between T1/2 and A.L.C. In the final analysis, it appears that for Hodgkin's disease there is a good correlation between the stage of the disease, histologic variety, Hb%, T1/2 and survival status of the patients.