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Background: Lymphomas represent the fifth most frequent cancer in Lebanon. However, little is known concerning epidemiologic characteristics and distribution of lymphoid neoplasms according to the 2008 WHO classification. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of lymphoma cases diagnosed from 2008 till 2012 at Hôtel-Dieu de France University Hospital. Results: A total of 502 new cases of lymphoma were diagnosed at our institution during a five year period: 119 cases (24%) were Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) and 383 cases (76%) were non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). HLs were equally distributed in both sexes with a mean age at diagnosis of 30 years. Among NHL, 87% (332 cases) were B cell lymphomas, 9% (34 cases) were T cell lymphomas and 4%(17 cases) were classified as precursor lymphoid neoplasms. Among B cell lymphomas, 44% (147 cases) were diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL), 20% (65 cases) follicular lymphomas and 8% (27 cases) mantle cell lymphomas. DLBCL were equally distributed in both sexes with a mean age of 58 years. Follicular lymphomas were characterized by a male predominance (57%) and a mean age of 60 years. Mantle cell lymphomas showed a pronounced male predominance (85%) with a mean age of 60 years in men and 70 years in women. Some 72% of patients having T cell lymphomas were men, with a mean age of 57 years in men and 45 years in women, while 65% of patients having precursor lymphoid neoplasms were women with a mean age of 22 years in women and 30 years in men. Conclusions: The lymphoma subtype distribution in Lebanon is unique when compared to other countries from around the world. In fact, Hodgkin and follicular lymphomas are more frequent than in most Far Eastern, European and American countries, while T-cell lymphomas and DLBCL are less frequent.

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Background: Testicular tumors constitute a rare type of cancer affecting adolescents and young adults with recent reports confirming an increase in incidence worldwide. The purpose of this study was to estimate the epidemiological characteristics and histological subtypes of testicular tumors in the Lebanese population according to the WHO classification of testicular and paratesticular tumors. Materials and Methods: In this single institutional retrospective study, all patients diagnosed with a testicular tumor in Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital University in Beirut between 1992 and 2014 were enrolled. The age, subtype based on the 2004 WHO classification and body side of tumor were analyzed. Results: A total of two hundred and forty-four (244) patients diagnosed with a testicular tumor in our institution were included in the study. Two hundred and one patients (82.4% of all testicular tumors) had germ cell tumors (TGCT). Among TGCT, 50% were seminomatous tumors, 48% non-seminomatous tumors (NST) and 2% were spermatocytic seminomas. The NST were further divided into mixed germ cell tumors (63.9%), embryonic carcinomas (18.6%), teratomas (15.4%) and yolk sac tumors (2.1%). The mean age for testicular tumors was 32 years. The mean age for germ cell tumors was 31 years and further subtypes such as seminomatous tumors had a mean age of 34 years, 28 years in non-seminomatous tumors and 56 years in spermatocytic seminoma. Patients with right testicular tumor were the predominant group with 55% of patients. Three patients (1.2%) presented with bilateral tumors. Conclusions: The distribution of different subgroups and the mean age for testicular tumors proved comparable to most countries of the world except for some Asian countries. Germ cell tumors are the most common subtype of testicular tumors with seminomatous tumors being slightly more prevalent than non-seminomatous tumors in Lebanese patients.

Background: To compare the current histologic distribution of lung cancer in Lebanon to the worldwide trends, according to the 2004 WHO Classification. Materials and Methods: 1,760 patients with a pulmonary pathology examination at Hotel-Dieu de France University Hospital between July 2009 and July 2014 were included. Results: Some 676 out of the total investigated patients (38.4%) had a lung tumor. In 665 (98.4%) the tumors were malignant, with a mean age at diagnosis of 63.8 years and a male/female (M/F) sex ratio of 1.7:1. Among the malignant tumors, 86.2% were epithelial tumors with a mean age at diagnosis of 64.8 years and an M/F sex ratio of 1.9. Other malignant tumors consisted of metastatic tumors (10.2%), lymphoproliferative tumors (2.1%) and mesenchymal tumors (1.5%). Most common carcinoma subtypes were adenocarcinoma (48.0%), squamous cell carcinoma (23.0%) and small cell carcinoma (13.3%). Carcinoid tumors were the only carcinoma subtype with an M/F sex ratio below 1 (0.7). Salivary gland tumors were the carcinoma with lowest mean age at diagnosis (45.5 years). Conclusions: The histologic distribution of lung tumors in Lebanon is similar to that in developed countries. We believe this resemblance is due to common smoking habits, known to be responsible for the increase of lung adenocarcinoma at the expense of other subtypes.