role of total body irradiation [TBI] in the management of low grade non-hodgkin's lymphomas: 5- year results

ABSTRACT

Twenty-five untreated patients with low grade lymphoma stages III and IV were the material of this study. All patients were treated by TBI, 15 cGy/day for ten doses twice weekly for five weeks with or without involved field irradiation 20 Gy/10 fractions to bulky tumour or residual disease. Treatment results were compared with historical control group of 35 cases treated with combination chemotherapy [CVP]. The overall response was 88% with 72% compete response, the mean duration of response was 32 months, compared to 94% and 77% in control group with mean duration of response of 35 months. The 5-year survival for the study group was 56% with 32% disease free survival at 5 years while in the control group it was 60% and 38% respectively. Treatment response and survival were correlated to some prognostic factors such as age, sex, tumour site, constitutional symptoms, histological types and stage of the disease