PRIMARY SPINAL EPIDURAL NONHODGKINS LYMPHOMAS - A CLINICAL-STUDY

BACKGROUND The spinal epidural space is an uncommon presenting site in primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The occurrence of spinal epidural dis ease ranges from 0.1%-6.5% among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. METHODS We report a retrospective study regarding 19 patients with pr imary epidural non-Hodgkin's lymphomas analyzing the factors influenci ng prognosis of this tumor, with emphasis on treatment. RESULT Ten pat ients were females and nine males. The neurologic conditions of patien ts were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively according to Shaw' s classification for neurologic disability. All cases underwent surger y accompanied by radiotherapy in 16 cases as well as chemotherapy in 1 3 cases. Histologically, the tumor proved to be a low-grade non-Hodgki n's lymphoma in three cases, intermediate-grade in four cases and, hig h-grade in 12 cases. At average follow-up of 7.2 years (range 5-15 yea rs), 15 patients had died after an average interval of 31 months from treatment (range 3-130 months) and four patients are alive after an av erage interval of 61 months (range 32-86 months). CONCLUSION It appear s that the outcome in these patients depends on the gravity of preoper ative deficits, whereas the survival is influenced by the type of trea tment.