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Hodgkin's disease presenting as “idiopathic” thrombocytopenic purpura
Author(s) -
Rudders Richard A.,
Aisenberg Alan C.,
Schiller Alan L.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197207)30:1<220::aid-cncr2820300132>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - medicine , thrombocytopenic purpura , disease , dermatology , purpura (gastropod) , immunology , pathology , platelet , ecology , biology
Thrombocytopenic purpura of the ITP type is an unusual and poorly documented complication of Hodgkin's disease. In a 5‐year period, three patients with Hodgkin's disease presented a clinical picture indistinguishable from classic ITP. Each exhibited marked thrombocytopenic purpura without marrow replacement by tumor or fibrosis, and the number of marrow megakaryocytes was increased. In two, isologous platelet survival was less than 2 hours. Spleens were not palpable and splenectomy resulted in one partial and one complete remission. When thrombocytopenia first appeared, the presence of Hodgkin's disease was often unsuspected, and, in two, the spleen was the only site of clinical involvement. Patients with Hodgkin's disease who present this picture are easily confused with patients who have true ITP, may have an occult recurrence, and are likely to have spleen involvement. This complication appears to be managed best by splenectomy.