Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas in pediatric-age patients of Northeast Mexico: 18-year outcomes and survival rates at an academic center.

Abstract

Background: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-HL (NHL) are the third and fourth most common malignancies during childhood, with limited information available from Latin America.

Method: We retrospectively studied patients with HL and NHL from a single academic center in Northeast Mexico between 2002 and 2020. Data included treatment regimens, staging, and survival outcomes. Survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and features of lymphomas were compared using the X² test.

Results: The study included 75 patients, 36 (48%) with HL and 39 (52%) with NHL. Males predominated (70%); the median age was 9 years. Stages III and IV were detected in 59% and median follow-up reached 50 months. Relapse occurred in 16 (21%) patients, 9 (12%) in the HL group and 7 (9%) in the NHL group. Thirteen (17.3%) patients underwent transplantation, 12 (85%) in the HL group; 11 are alive. Most deaths, 10/11 (91%), occurred in NHL patients. Five-year overall survival rates were 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95.6-97) for HL and 75% (95% CI 74.9-76.3) for NHL (p = 0.004). Five-year disease-free survival was 70% for HL (95% CI 69-72.5) and 69% (95% CI 67.7-71) for NHL (p = 0.672).

Conclusion: Pediatric-age HL and NHL had similar frequency in the study population; most patients presented with advanced disease at diagnosis. A high success rate was documented for HL, while NHL outcomes were suboptimal.