HEAD AND NECK EXTRANODAL NON-HODGKIN-LYMPHOMA - RADIATION-THERAPY ANDCHEMOTHERAPY

One hundred and seventy-five patients with extranodal non-Hodgkin lymp homa (NHL) treated between 1974 and 1993 in the Institute of Radiology and in the Department of Haematology of 'La Sapienza' University of R ome, have been examined. The sites involved were: Waldeyer's ring 96 p atients (tonsils 84, nasopharinx 12), parotid 20, orbit 16, oral cavit y 16, paranasal sinus 7, mandible 7, nasal fossal 3, minor salivary gl ands 3, larynx 3, conjunctive 2, lacrymal glands 1, thyroid 1. One hun dred and forty-three patients had high and medium grade unfavourable h istology; 68 patients were in stage I, 67 in II, 23 in III and 17 in I V. Fifteen patients were treated with radiotherapy alone and 86% obtai ned complete remission (CR). Chemotherapy alone was used in 90 cases a nd 87% C.R, was achieved; when chemotherapy in association with radiot herapy was used in 70 cases 85% obtained CR. The actuarial survival ra te was 79% and recurrence-free survival in those patients who achieved complete remission 87%. Surviving and relapse-free patients were anal ysed in relation to main prognostic factors and therapy, and patterns of recurrence are reported. From the analysis of these cases we can le arn how systemic therapy combined with the general conditions of patie nts and histology can control the disease. A minor relapse incidence w ith pharmacological therapy combined with a radiotherapic loco-regiona l treatment was also ascertained.