HODGKIN'S CELLS AND ATTACHED LYMPHOCYTES A Possible Prognostic Indicator in Splenic Tumor

After the purification of Hodgkin’s cells by a previously reported method from splenic tumor of 8 patients with Stages I11 or IV Hodgkin’s disease, we have examined the proportions of Hodgkin’s cells with attached lymphocytes. All patients were studied 3-5 years after staging laparotomy. Four patients had no recurrent disease; 3 had histologically confirmed recurrent disease; and 1 had clinically suspected recurrent disease (enlarged nodes) but has thus far refused further medical study and care. The proportion of purified Hodgkin’s cells which had attached lymphocytes was consistently higher in the patients who were clinically free of disease. The possible biological significance of this observation is discussed briefly and would appear to warrant further investigation of this phenomenon in more patients with splenic tumor than are available to us. Cancer 44:183-187, 1979. N 1973, we22 reported a method by which I we obtained cells from the tumor of Hodgkin’s disease in suspension with the aid of collagenase, stored the cells after controlled-rate freezing in a viable form, and separated the cells in an isokinetic gradientlg which has been used for the separation of several different kinds of cells.23 Among the more rapidly sedimenting cells, we obtained highly concentrated Reed-Sternberg cells and Hodgkin’s cells some of which were multinucleated and some of which were mononucleated; following the example of several authoritie~~.’~~ ~~ we shall refer to these cells collectively as Hodgkin’s cells.