[The WHO (1997) classification of 370 cases of malignant lymphomas].

Objective: To reclassify retrospectively 370 cases of malignant lymphomas.

Methods: According to the WHO new classification, the clinical features and pathology as well as immunophenotype of 370 lymphomas were analysed.

Results: In the 370 lymphomas, there were 359 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) (97.03%) and 11 Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) (2.97%). Of the 359 NHL, 246 were B-cell lymphomas (68.52%), 108 T-cell lymphomas (30.08%), 1 each histiocytic lymphoma and follicular dendritic cell sarcoma, and 3 NK cell lymphomas. The extranodal lymphomas were 196 cases (54.6%) and the nodal lymphomas 163 cases (45.4%). The incidence of NHL categories were in proper order as follows: diffuse large B cell lymphoma (173 cases, 48.2%) > peripheral T cell lymphoma (54 cases, 15.0%) > mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (31 cases, 8.6%) > NK/T cell lymphoma (25 cases, 7.0%) > follicular lymphoma (21 cases, 5.8%) > anaplastic large cell lymphoma (12 cases, 3.3%).

Conclusion: The results suggested that the study of malignant lymphomas with WHO new classification have important clinical significance.