Pure infradiaphragmatic Hodgkin's lymphoma. Clinical features, prognostic factor and comparison with supradiaphragmatic disease.

Pure infradiaphragmatic HL presents with distinct clinicopathologic characteristics. The previously reported poorer outcome may be explained by the unfavorable profile of the patients rather than the infradiaphragmatic presentation per se. Patients with stage IIB disease should probably be classified as having advanced HL because of the unacceptable rate of primary refractory disease.