title: Primary lymphoma of bone--a retrospective study. Experience at the Northern Israel Oncology Center (1979-2000).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective study describes our experience with the diagnosis, treatment, results and long-term follow-up of primary bone lymphoma (PBL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients diagnosed with PBL were reviewed. Seven patients presented with stage I(E) disease, four with stage II(E) (regional lymphadenopathy), and eight with stage IV disease (disseminated bone involvement). Only one stage IV patient exhibited 'B' symptoms. The majority (72%) demonstrated diffuse, large cell, B-type lymphoma. All patients were treated with adriamycin-based chemotherapy and consolidation radiotherapy to the primary site (8 patients: early PBL) or the most bulky area (3 patients: stage IV PBL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten stage I(E)/II(E) patients are alive with no evidence of disease (NED) and only one died due to metastatic secondary lung cancer while with NED from his PBL. Eight stage IV patients are alive with NED. Median follow-up for all living patients: 77 months. Side effects were mild and did not necessitate delay in treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our departmental policy of treating PBL patients with an anthracycline-based regimen and involved field radiotherapy proved to be successful in achieving excellent long-term, disease-free survival. Phase III randomized, controlled, clinical trials will determine the true role of consolidation radiotherapy in PBL, when considering severe late side effects, including radiation-induced bone tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Rambam Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. m_stein@rambam.health.gov.il
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuten
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gez
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Drumea
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben-Shachar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zidan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Epelbaum
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome