title: Primary extranodal non Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck in adults: a clinicopathological comparison between tonsillar and non tonsillar lymphomas. (Hellenic co-Operative Oncology Group).
abstract: Primary extranodal NHL of the head and neck (HN-NHL) accounts for 10-20% of all cases of NHL. Despite their frequency, the natural history and biological behaviour of these lymphomas is poorly understood. In this study we analysed the data 116 cases of HN-NHL. There were 65 males and 51 females with a median age of 56 years. The distribution among different anatomical sites was: tonsils 56 cases (48.3%), nasopharynx 15 (12.9%), mandible/gingiva 9 (7.8%), hard palate 7 (6%), parotis 6 (5.2%), nasal cavity 6 (5.2%), hypopharynx/larynx 6 (5.2%), thyroid 5 (4.3%), ocular adnexa 4 (3.5%), paranasal sinuses 2 (1.7%). The patients were treated with radiotherapy alone (14 cases), combined chemotherapy (52 cases) and combined modality (50 cases). According to the WF histological classification 73 cases (62.9%) had intermediate, 32 (27.6%) high and 11 (9.5%) low grade. Patients were separated in two groups: Tonsillar NHL (56 cases) and NHL of all other sites (non-tonsillar group-60 cases). A comparison between the two groups showed that there was no statistically significant difference with respect to age, sex, and histological subtypes. Also treatment response was similar (82.1% for the tonsillar vs 83.3% for the non-tonsillar). The two groups differed in stage distribution, survival and pattern of relapse. Stage I was more frequent in the non-tonsillar NHL (60%) in contrast to tonsillar NHL where stage II was more prominent (51.8%). Median survival was 86 months for the tonsillar while it has not been reached yet for the non-tonsillar patients. Patients in stage I and stage II of the non-tonsillar group had better survival compared to stages I and II of the tonsillar patients. Finally GI tract was a common site of relapse in the tonsillar group while a considerable number in CNS relapses were observed in the non-tonsillar group. We concluded that HN-NHL constitutes a heterogeneous group of patients. Tonsillar lymphomas represent a distinct group with some special clinicopathological findings.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Economopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fountzilas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kostourou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daniilidis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Andreopoulou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolaou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mellou
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dervenoulas
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stathakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D011241:Prednisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D008727:Methotrexate