The relation between hepatitis C viral infection and follicular lymphoma clinical course and outcome in a single-center study

Abstract

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been related in the etiology of many lymphomas. Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most common subtype of indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This comparative retrospective study aimed to identify a relationship between HCV and FL clinicopathologic features and neoplasm outcome. Patients and methods This study was conducted on 103 patients with FL who attended our institution during 2008–2019. Results The prevalence of patients with HCV FL was 49.5% and showed significant B symptoms (P=0.023), advanced stages (P=0.016) with higher Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index scores (P=0.042). Progression-free survival showed no differences regarding the viral infection or histological grades. Median overall survival showed significant improvement with histological grades 1–2 (P<0.0001), low Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index, and HCV negative patients with FL, especially in the younger subgroup. Conclusion HCV positive patients with FL had a significantly more aggressive clinicopathological presentation and shorter overall survival. Thus, early virology screening and eradication of HCV infection in FL patients may improve the neoplasm course.