Objectives: The objective of the study is to study the patterns and degree of BMI in various subtypes of lymphoma diagnosed at a tertiary care center in Northern India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study of 96 patients diagnosed with lymphoma over a period of 5 years (3 years retrospectively, 2 years prospectively) at AIIMS, Rishikesh. Bone marrow aspirate, trephine biopsy, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were evaluated to assess marrow involvement. Cases were categorized by lymphoma subtype, pattern of infiltration, and extent of involvement. Results: Of 96 cases, 49 (51%) showed BMI. BMI was more frequent in non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) (41/76, 54%) than Hodgkin lymphomas (8/20, 40%). Among NHLs, small cell type NHL (e.g., chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma) demonstrated a higher frequency and diffuse pattern of marrow involvement. In contrast, large B-cell lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas showed predominantly focal or interstitial infiltration. IHC was essential in subtyping and identifying marrow involvement in challenging cases. Statistical analysis: Data were entered in Microsoft Excel 2019 and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results were presented as tables and figures. Statistical analysis was performed using R software, employing Fisher’s exact test and the chi-square test. Conclusions: BMI is frequent in NHL, especially small cell subtypes. The pattern of marrow involvement correlates with the lymphoma subtype and may guide diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Early and accurate evaluation of bone marrow and biopsy is critical in lymphoma management.
Khanal et al. (Sat,) studied this question.