[Long term results of treatment of highly-malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the elderly (70 years and older)].
OBJECTIVE
To assess retrospectively the results of long-term combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy of patients 70 years of older, taking into account the international non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) prognostic index of Shipp as well as the dose-intensity.


METHODS
Of 303 patients treated for aggressive NHL 100 were aged 70 years or more (median age 76 years). Localized stages I or II were present in 56, advanced stages III or IV in 44, and 38 had extranodal tumours. 92 patients were given multiple-drug chemotherapy according to the CHOP or COP BIAM protocols (n = 89 and 3, respectively), followed by single large-field or "involved field" radiotherapy with the aim of consolidation (n = 49) or cure (n = 26).


RESULTS
Recurrence-free and total survival probabilities were 32% and 30%, respectively. 54 patients with stages I or II survived 10 years, but only six survived just 4 years with stages III or IV. There were five treatment-associated deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined chemo- and radiotherapy can achieve long-term remission in most even elderly patients with localized stages of aggressive NHL.
Sonnen
R
R
Hämatologische Abteilung, Allgemeines Krankenhaus St. Georg, Hamburg.
Kuse
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D015897:Comorbidity; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D001761:Bleomycin; D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone
Langzeitergebnisse der Behandlung hochmaligner Non-Hodgkin-Lymphome im hohen Lebensalter (> or = 70 jahre).