The thoracic duct lymph in Hodgkin's disease. II. Quantitative analysis of the cellular composition of the lymph

Abstract

Abstract The rate of cell output from catheterized thoracic ducts was studied in 15 patients with Hodgkin's disease. The thoracic duct lymphocyte and the peripheral blood lymphocyte were correlated. There was no correlation between the total lymphocyte output and involvement of the abdominal nodes. Abdominal node involvement increased the numbers of lymphoblasts in the lymph, and also the number of macrophages and histiocytes. Reed‐Sternberg cells and Hodgkin's cells were present in the thoracic duct lymph in all patients with involvement of the para‐aortic nodes above the L IV level. Quantitative cytochemical studies were made on the cell population.