View article

The neoplastic Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells in classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) are derived from B cells. The frequency of HLA class II downregulation and its effect on prognosis are unknown.

Immunohistochemistry results for HLA class II were evaluated in 292 primary cHL patients in a population-based approach. Patients were diagnosed between 1989 and 2000 in the northern part of the Netherlands. Median age at diagnosis was 38 years (range, 8 to 88 years); 63% had Ann Arbor stage I or II, 24% stage III, and 13% stage IV disease. Median follow-up was 7.1 years. For 168 patients, HLA genotype data were available.

Lack of HLA class II cell-surface expression on HRS cells was observed in 41.4% and was more common in patients with extranodal disease, patients with Epstein-Barr virus–negative disease, and …