title: Characteristics and prognostic factors for head and neck non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Chinese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The head and neck region is the second most frequent anatomical site of extranodal lymphomas. These tumours affect many individuals worldwide, justifying epidemiological studies in different countries. This study evaluated the characteristics, treatments and prognostic factors for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck in Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical manifestations, clinicopathological characteristics, multidisciplinary treatment and prognostic factors for 102 patients with extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck were analysed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tonsil was the most commonly involved primary site, followed by the nasal cavity. The most common histological subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, followed by natural killer T-cell lymphoma. Patients receiving a combination of rituximab and chemotherapy did better than those receiving chemotherapy alone. Prognosis was significantly associated with both International Prognostic Index and histological subtype; the former was especially strongly associated with poor survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this group of Chinese patients, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most common pathological subtype, but the incidence of T-cell lymphomas was higher than that reported in the USA. Combined rituximab and chemotherapy led to better outcomes than chemotherapy alone. Prognosis depended on both International Prognostic Index and histological subtype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C-P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: S-F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: S-L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014067:Tonsillar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult