Role of radiotherapy in patients with early-stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of Waldeyer's ring in remission after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy

Leuk Lymphoma. 2013 Jan;54(1):62-8. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2012.710907. Epub 2012 Sep 6.

Abstract

Consolidation radiotherapy (cRT) in patients with stage I/II diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring (WR-DLBCL) in complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy (CHT) is often associated with relevant acute and chronic toxicity, and its impact on survival remains to be defined. A total of 184 patients in CR after anthracycline-based chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed: 62 underwent CHT alone (CHT group), while 122 (66%) patients were referred to cRT (CHT + RT group). After a median follow-up of 54 months, 36 patients (20%) experienced relapse: 19% in the CHT group and 20% in the CHT + RT group. At the time of analysis 47 (76%) CHT patients and 97 (80%) CHT + RT patients were alive. Five-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) were 80%, 74% and 86%, respectively. Five-year OS was significantly prolonged in the CHT + RT group, while DFS and LSS were similar between groups. This discrepancy was attributed to a high percentage of deaths due to unrelated causes in CHT patients. cRT does not prolong LSS in patients with early-stage WR-DLBCL in CR after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. An international confirmatory trial is warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anthracyclines / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Cause of Death
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / mortality
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / pathology*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / radiotherapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Antineoplastic Agents