Extranodal lymphomas in the public health system in Chile: Analysis of 1251 patients from the National Adult Cancer Program

Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics, anatomic and histologic distribution, and treatment results of extranodal lymphomas (ENLs), diagnosed and treated in the public health system in Chile. We included patients with ENL diagnosed from 1998 to 2014, in 17 cancer centers, registered prospectively in the database of the National Adult Cancer Program (PANDA) of the Ministry of Health. Treatment was based on the local protocols for each lym phoma subtype. Extranodal lymphoma was documented in 1215 of 4907 non‐ Hodgkin lymphomas diagnosed in that period (25%). Median age was 59 years (range, 16‐95), and 55% were female. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract was the most common location (38%), followed by the head and neck (24%) and the skin (15%). B‐cell lymphomas accounted for 78% of cases, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma being the most common histologic subtype (68%). Mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome was the most frequent T‐cell subtype (36%), followed by NK/T‐cell lymphomanasal type (24%). In comparison with western countries, Chile showed a significantly high prevalence of NK/T‐cell lymphoma nasal type, while the frequency of B‐cell ENL and the anatomic distribution appeared similar, being GI the most commonly involved site.