title: Hodgkin's variant of Richter transformation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia; a retrospective study from the Israeli CLL study group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Richter syndrome (RS) is the development of an aggressive lymphoid malignancy, in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Most are diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), however in 10-15% of RS, there is transformation to Hodgkin lymphoma, termed "Hodgkin variant" (HV). In the present retrospective study we summarize the Israeli experience with HV-RS, and analyze demographic data, relevant laboratory and clinical parameters, and outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected and analyzed data from 119 patients with RS from 12 Centers in Israel during 1996-2010 and identified 16 cases with "Hodgkin's variant".
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 58 years, and 67% were males. The median time from CLL diagnosis to development of HV was 5.9 (range=0.8-11.9) years and the median survival was 39.5 months, compared to 9 months for the cases with RS-DLBCL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hodgkin variant appears to differ from DLBCL-RS and is clinically less aggressive. However, compared to de novo Hodgkin's lymphoma, HV-RS has a worse prognosis.
authors: Hematology Unit, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, 47, Golomb Street, Haifa 31048, Israel. tamar.tadmor@b-zion.org.il.
authors: Tamar
authors: T
authors: Tadmor
authors: Lev
authors: L
authors: Shvidel
authors: Neta
authors: N
authors: Goldschmidt
authors: Rosa
authors: R
authors: Ruchlemer
authors: Riva
authors: R
authors: Fineman
authors: Osnat
authors: O
authors: Bairey
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Rahimi-Levene
authors: Yair
authors: Y
authors: Herishanu
authors: Mona
authors: M
authors: Yuklea
authors: Ariela
authors: A
authors: Arad
authors: Ariel
authors: A
authors: Aviv
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Polliack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: CLL; Hodgkin's Lymphoma; Hodgkin's variant; Richter syndrome; Richter transformation; chronic lymphocytic leukemia