Analysis of the Rye Classification of Hodgkin's Disease. The Prognostic Significance of Cellular Composition

Summary

The Rye classification of Hodgkin's disease furnished more prognostic information than any estimates of individual cell frequencies. However, analysis of information obtained by cross-classification between the subtypes of Hodgkin's disease (Rye) and cellular composition showed that knowledge of the lymphocyte frequency significantly improved the predictability of prognosis in the nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity types. Mean survival in both forms was directly proportional to the lymphocyte frequency in the pretreatment biopsies. Malignant and benign-appearing histiocytes independently influenced prognosis adversely; when cross-classified, high proportions of benign-appearing histiocytes adversely affected prognosis when the levels of malignant histiocytes were relatively low. Sternberg-Reed cells had no effect independent of malignant histiocytes, and eosinophils and plasma cells had no prognostic value.