title: Primary bone lymphoma: a retrospective analysis of 22 patients treated in a single tertiary center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary bone lymphoma is a rare disease, representing less than 5% of all extra-nodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively searched the database of the lymphoma unit, Hematology/Lymphoma Department, Athens General Hospital 'Evangelismos' for primary bone lymphoma patients. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were collected and overall survival was analyzed. A log-rank test was used in a univariate analysis to identify factors affecting overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 24 and analyzed data from 22 patients. 12 were male (54.5%) and 10 female (45.4%) and their median age was 55 years (range: 19-83). Most patients had localized disease at the time of diagnosis (n = 19, 86.3%), the most common site was the spine (n = 11, 50%) and the most common histology was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. 21 patients received chemotherapy as initial therapy and 16 received combined chemoradiation. 81.8% of the patients (n = 18) achieved complete remission. 5-year survival rate was 86.3% and overall survival was found to be affected by the patients' initial response to treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary bone lymphoma is usually associated with a good prognosis. Prospective studies are needed in order to clarify the effect of immunochemotherapy in overall survival.
authors.affiliation: Lymphoma, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Department, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matikas
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Briasoulis
authors.forename: Ifigeneia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tzannou
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oikonomopoulou
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakiri
authors.forename: Themis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karmiris
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harhalakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; C571759:R-CHOP protocol; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone