Biology of Hodgkin's disease: facts and speculations

Notwithstanding major advances in histological studies, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology, Hodgkin's disease stili awaits a clear cut definition amongst malignant diseases. Histological studies have recently identified pathogenetically heterogeneous conditions both etiologically and clinically, with thè result that it is difficult to determine whether thè variable histological patterns correspond to neoplastic conditions of different origin or whether they reflect pathological variants of thè sanie disease. The sustained interest in thè cytobiological aspects of Hodgkin's disease is justified by thè fact that histogenetically this disease may represent a condition of immunological activation or reaction in which different celi components, whether reactive or neoplastic, interact with each other at thè cellular level or through a stili unclear network of cytokines. A thorough investigation of some of these cytobiological aspects, such as thè study of celi kinetics, thè identification of thè immunophenotype of both reactive and neoplastic cells, thè expression of specific virai sequences or antigens, or thè activation of particular oncogenes, may shed new light on some of thè stili obscure etiopathogenetic aspects of thè disease. This may clarify some of thè mechanisms underlying celi function and interactions, which may play an important role in determining its clinical course