title: Hepatitis C virus-related B cell subtypes in non Hodgkin's lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if indolent B cell-non Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive patients could have different biological and clinical characteristics requiring different management strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 24 HCV related B-NHL patients (11 indolent, 13 DLBCL) in whom the biological and clinical characteristics were described and confronted. Patients with DLBCL were managed with the standard of care of treatment. Patients with indolent HCV-related B-NHL were managed with antiviral treatment pegylated interferon plus ribavirin and their course observed. The outcomes of the different approaches were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with DLBCL had a shorter duration of HCV infection and a higher prevalence of HCV genotype 1 compared to patients with indolent B-NHL in which HCV genotype 2 was the more frequent genotype. Five of the 9 patients with indolent HCV-related B-NHL treated with only antiviral therapy, achieved a complete response of their onco-haematological disease (55%). Seven of the 13 DLBCL patients treated with immunochemotheraphy obtained a complete response (54%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCV genotypes and duration of HCV infection differed between B-NHL subtypes. Indolent lymphomas can be managed with antiviral treatment, while DLBCL is not affected by the HCV infection.
authors: Adriano M Pellicelli, Cecilia D'Ambrosio, Roberto Villani, Arnaldo Andreoli, Liver Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, Circonvallazione Gianicolense 87, 00149 Rome, Italy.
authors: Adriano M
authors: AM
authors: Pellicelli
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Marignani
authors: Valerio
authors: V
authors: Zoli
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Romano
authors: Aldo
authors: A
authors: Morrone
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Nosotti
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Barbaro
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Picardi
authors: Umberto Vespasiani
authors: UV
authors: Gentilucci
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Remotti
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: D'Ambrosio
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Furlan
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Mecenate
authors: Ettore
authors: E
authors: Mazzoni
authors: Ignazio
authors: I
authors: Majolino
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Villani
authors: Arnaldo
authors: A
authors: Andreoli
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Barbarini