Regression of Splenic Lymphoma with Villous Lymphocytes after Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Nine patients who had splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes were treated with interferon alfa for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Seven patients subsequently had no evidence of HCV infection and had remission of the lymphoma. In two patients the lymphoma regressed only after additional antiviral treatment. A similar treatment had no effect in six patients with splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes who had no evidence of HCV infection. After treatment with interferon alfa, seven patients had remission of the lymphoma. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the chief etiologic agent of non-A, non-B chronic hepatitis, 1 and several epidemiologic studies suggest that HCV may be involved in the pathogenesis of several B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Antibodies against HCV, HCV RNA, or both have been detected in most patients with type II cryoglobulinemia, which is characterized by the clonal expansion of B cells that may evolve into low-grade or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 2 Studies in Italy, southern California, and Japan have reported a high prevalence (9 to 32 percent) of chronic HCV infection among patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 3 , 4 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a . . .