title: Splenectomy for haematological cytopenias in patients with malignant lymphomas.
abstract: Haematological cytopenias caused by increased splenic activity occurred in 86 patients with malignant lymphomas (50 patients with stage III or IV Hodgkin disease [H.D.] and 36 with non-Hodgkin lymphomas). Splenectomy was performed in 84 of these 86 patients. There was complete or partial correction of the haematological defect in 90% of the H.D. patients and 89% of the non-Hodgkin patients. Chemotherapy or radiotherapy was started after the haematological defect had been corrected by splenectomy, and as a result 79% of the H.D. patients and 75% of the non-Hodgkin patients had a complete or partial remission of their disease. Increased splenic activity should be considered as a cause of a haematological cytopenia in patients with malignant lymphomas even in those with bone-marrow involvement, since splenectomy is accompanied by excellent results in terms of disease remission with subsequent therapy. 2 patients with H.D. (4%) and 5 with non-Hodgkin lymphomas (14%) died in hospital after splenectomy. Thus the operation was associated with acceptable mortality and morbidity despite the advanced stage of disease in most cases.
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000628:therapy*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013154:Spleen / Q000503:physiopathology; D013156:Splenectomy; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*