Abstract

A total of 42 cases of Hodgkin's disease was obtained from the file of Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University during a period of 7 years from 1976 to 1982. These cases were critically reviewed microscopically and classified according to Rye modification of Lukes-Butler classification. In 42 cases of Hodgkin's disease the patients ranged in age from 5 to 75 years, with an average of 35.1 years. Male to female ratio was 5:1. Histological types consisted of 17(40.5%) mixed cellularity, 12 (28.6%) lymphocyte depletion, 7 (16.6%) lymphocyte predominance and 6 (14.3%) nodular sclerosis. Biopsy sites were lymph nodes in 36 cases, spleen in 2 and gastrointestinal tract in 4. Comparing with previously reported material on non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in our department, there were 25 cases of Hodgkin's disease and 160 cases of non-Hodgkin's disease comprised 13.5% of all malignant lymphoms. In conclusion, Hodgkin's disease in Korea seems to be characterized by relatively low incidence comparing with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and low relative frequency of nodular sclerosis type, while lymphocyte depletion type is relatively high.