Hodgkin's disease at autopsy: 1972-1977.

The autopsies of 80 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were reviewed. Nearly one-third of the patients died without evidence of HD at autopsy. Four patients died with clinically unsuspected HD. Infection was the most common cause of death but a significant number of patients died of complications of therapy, both benign and malignant, including five patients with hematologic or de novo lymphoid malignancies. There was wide histologic variation of HD at autopsy and many cases had a pleomorphic appearance with few of the typical features of Hodgkin's disease. Fibrous nodules interpreted as sites of eradicated HD were found in many organs, most commonly lymphoreticular. Nonfatal histopathologic effects of therapy were common and specifically assessed thyroid and gonads.