title: Outcome of patients with nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma treated with radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study reviews the outcome of patients with nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma treated at the Therapeutic Radiology Department, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, from 1997 to 2003.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one consecutive patients treated with radiotherapy, with or without chemotherapy, were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 44 years (range, 27-86 years). Thirteen patients had stage I disease, five had stage II disease, and three had stage IV disease. Immunophenotyping was CD 56+ in 18 patients. Median follow-up for patients still alive was 23.4 months (range, 8.9-78.5 months). A median dose of 50 Gy (range, 35-56 Gy) was delivered. Sixteen patients also received chemotherapy. Two-year overall survival was 52.8%. Five patients had rapidly progressive disease, with a median survival of 89 days from diagnosis. The other 16 patients had complete remission, after which four relapsed. There were two local relapses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This disease often carries a poor prognosis, despite multimodality treatment. Radiotherapy may contribute to local control in some patients.
authors.affiliation: Therapeutic Radiology Department, National Cancer Centre, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610.
authors.forename: Ivan Weng Keong
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Tham
authors.forename: Khai Mun
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Swee Peng
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Susan Li-Er
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Loong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate; D017211:Treatment Failure