Lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin lymphoma complicating hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis as an initial manifestation: a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Hemophagocytic lymphohistocytosis (HLH) is commonly associated with infectious diseases or T/NK cell-lymphoma; however that with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) was rarely reported. Herein, we describe a young male diagnosed with lymphocyte-depleted HL (LD-HL) complicated by HLH as an initial manifestation. He was given high-dose steroid therapy plus recombinant thrombomodulin, and subsequent ABVd (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) treatment. In spite of the achievement of a partial remission treated with one cycle of ABVd, he relapsed after 3 cycles. To our knowledge, the present case is very rare, and more intensive treatment might be needed for the long-term control of HLH-complicated HL.