Clinicopathologic Features and Treatment Outcomes in Malignant Lymphoma of Pediatric and Young Adult Patients in Korea: Comparison of Korean All-Ages Group and Western Younger Age Group

PurposeThe aim of this study is to define distinctive clinicopathologic features of malignant lymphoma in pediatric and young adult patients, particularly in Korea.Patients and MethodsFrom May 1993 to November 2005, 294 pediatric and young adult patients (age range, 0-31 years) with malignant lymphoma were analyzed in this study at Samsung Medical Center. We also compared this group with the Korean all-ages group and Western younger age group using previously reported data.ResultsHodgkin disease appears more common in the younger age group than in the all-ages group (15% vs. 5.3%; P = .001). Among patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), T/natural killer cell immunophenotype is more common in the present younger age group than the all-ages group (45.5% vs. 25%; P = .001) and Western younger age group (45.5% vs. 13.3%; P = .001). Lymphoblastic lymphoma and T-anaplastic large-cell lymphoma included relatively higher proportions in the younger age group. Overall survival for patients in the group aged 21-31 years was significantly inferior to that of the other younger age group (P = .014).ConclusionThe incidence of Hodgkin disease and T-cell NHL is relatively higher in pediatric and young-adult population group than the all-ages group. However, treatment outcome of the younger age group, excluding lymphoblastic lymphoma, seems to be similar to those in any age group.