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 III 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.