Localised non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: The Sheffield Lymphoma Group experience (1970-1995)

We report a retrospective study of all patients with localised non-Hodgkin' s lymphoma referred to the Sheffield Lymphoma Group (1970-1995). A total of 1,979 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were seen: 553 (28%) presented with stage I or II disease, 411 (21%) extranodal, 142 (7%) nodal. The commo nest extranodal sites were head and neck, gastrointestinal tract, skin and central nervous system, accounting for 87% of patients. Most patients recei ved primary localised radiotherapy. Overall observed survival was 52.5% at 5 years in the extranodal group and 65% in the nodal group. For both groups the 10-year observed survival was 42.5%. An age of 45 years and over was a poor prognostic factor in both groups (p<0.001). Patients with skin and no n-Waldeyer's head and neck lymphomas survived best (5-year observed surviva ls 67 and 70% respectively) and CNS worst (5-year survival 38%). There is n o cause for complacency in the management of localised non-Hodgkin's lympho ma, particularly for the less common extranodal sites where multicentre cli nical studies are still essential.