title: Primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: clinicopathological features, survival and treatment outcome in two cancer centers of southern Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological and clinicopathological characteristics of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (pENL) patients, focusing on treatment and survival outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between October 2003 and March 2012, 802 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were diagnosed and treated in two different cancer centers of Southern Turkey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  pENL, constituted 12.4% (100/802) of all NHL studied during this period. Median age of the patients was 56 years (range 17-87 years) and the male: female distribution was 3:2. Eighty-five of 100 patients (85%) were in stage I/II, 9/100 (9%) in stage III, whereas 6/100 (6%) were in stage IV. Head and neck constituted the most common site (51/100, 51%), followed by gastrointestinal tract (GIL) (37/100, 37%), and cerebrum (CL) (5/100, 5%). Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was the most common histological type, observed in 53% of patients, followed by marginal zone extranodal lymphoma (13%). Most of patients (76%) received a CHOP containing regimen. Complete remission (CR) were achieved in 71% of patients. The median follow-up duration of all patients was reported as 37.6 months (range, 0.8-165 months). This period was reported as 137.5 months (range, 117.5- 1578.6 months) in gastrointestinal lymphoma (GIL) patients, 119.0 months (range, 91.8-146.1 months) in head and neck lymphoma (HNL) patients, and 18.4 months (range, 12.6-24.1 months) in cerebral lymphoma (CL) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Head and neck, and the gastrointestinal tract were the two most common extranodal sites observed. Histologically DLBC accounted for the majority of cases. Most patients were on earlier stages, had low-low intermediate IPI scores and had a favorable prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Turkey E-mail : mertsoylu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mertsoylu
authors.forename: Sadik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muallaoglu
authors.forename: Ayberk Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Besen
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdogdu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: Ali Murat
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sedef
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arican
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozyilkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone