Long-term follow-up of patients treated with radiotherapy alone for early-stage histologically aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Historically localised aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has been treated with involved field radiotherapy (RT), chemotherapy, or a combination of both modalities. The current weight of evidence supports a preference for combined modality treatment (CMT). Increased patient age at diagnosis is well recognised as a poor prognostic indicator in NHL, but despite this some perceive CMT as too toxic for use in the elderly. As a result, some older patients continue to be offered RT alone. Here, we present long-term follow-up of 377 adults of all ages treated with RT alone for early-stage diffuse large-cell lymphoma on British National Lymphoma Investigation trials between 1974 and 1997. 10-year cause-specific survival in patients older than 60 years was poor and significantly inferior to that in younger patients (47 and 75% respectively; P<0.001). There is growing evidence that short-course chemotherapy, with or without RT, is superior to RT alone in early-stage aggressive NHL, in elderly as well as in younger patients. Increased age alone should not exclude patients from systemic treatment for early-stage aggressive NHL.
Spicer
J
J
Department of Oncology, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, UK.
Smith
P
P
Maclennan
K
K
Hoskin
P
P
Hancock
B
B
Linch
D
D
Pettengell
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome