SURVIVORSHIP IN MALIGNANT NON-HODGKIN LYMPHOMA PATIENTS IN ALBANIA

Adriana Hatellari*, Arben Ivanaj and Ervin Toçi

ABSTRACT

Background: Malignant Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) represents serious health conditions that eventually affect patient survival. Objective: To assess the general profile of NHL patients and the factors associated with survival and death from NHLs in Albania. Materials and methods: This is a case-series study of patients newly diagnosed with NHLs in the Hematology Service at the University Hospital Center (UHC) “Mother Teresa” in Tirana and followed-up during 2011-2015. The present study included 107 patients newly diagnosed with NHLs during this time period. All patients with previously known NHLs were excluded from the survey. Basic demographic and other data relevant to the disease were collected. Survival analyses were performed with Kaplan-Meier test and Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Mean age of patients was 57.7 years and 61.7% were males. Most NHL patients had intermediate-high or high grade and Ann Arbor stage 3-4 NHL and presence of B symptoms at the moment of diagnosis. More than one-third of patients had level 3-4 performance status. The overall 50 months survival was 57.2%. The risk of death from NHL was significantly higher among patients with high level performance status, higher NHL grade and stage, higher levels of LDH, B symptoms and bone marrow involvement at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion: Survivorship and its related factors among Albanian NHL patients resemble those reported by international literature. The present findings could support awareness raising activities towards early detection and treatment of NHLs in Albania.

Keywords: Albania, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, prognosis, survival.