Is comprehensive lymphatic irradiation for low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma curative therapy? Long-term experience at a single institution.
OBJECTIVE
This study reports 21 patients with Stage I-III low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were treated with comprehensive lymphatic irradiation (CLI) at the University of Florida between 1966 and 1992.


METHODS
Sites clinically involved with disease were treated with 30 Gy, whereas clinically uninvolved sites were treated with 25 Gy. Median follow-up for the group was 14 years (24.5 years for Stage III patients).


RESULTS
Overall absolute survival rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 84%, 68%, and 34%. Cause-specific survival rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 84%, 68%, and 56%. Freedom-from-relapse rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 75%, 58%, and 58%, with no relapses noted after 10 years. Bulky disease (>6 cm) was a significant indicator of poor prognosis for cause-specific survival (p = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
These data support findings from other institutions suggesting a role for CLI as potentially curative therapy with acceptable toxicity and a short treatment time for patients with Stages I and II and limited Stage III disease.
De Los Santos
J F
JF
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0385, USA.
Mendenhall
N P
NP
Lynch
J W
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate