Intensity-modulated Radiotherapy in Patients With Aggressive Extranodal Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma of the Head and Neck

Anticancer Res. 2021 Oct;41(10):5131-5135. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.15330.

Abstract

Background/aim: Image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) is increasingly being used to treat patients with head and neck malignancies. This analysis compared conventional radiotherapy (CRT) and IMRT outcomes for head and neck aggressive extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (EN-NHL).

Patients and methods: Forty-eight patients who underwent irradiation between 2005 and 2019 were identified.

Results: The median follow-up was 42 months. Patients treated with IMRT experienced higher overall responde rate than patients who received 3DCRT (85% vs. 73%, p=0.4). There was non-significant longer survival following IMRT compared with 3DCRT in terms of 5-year OS (p=0.16). Complete responders after primary treatments had a significantly higher 5-year progression-free (p<0.001) and overall survival (p=0.003) in comparison with those without a complete response. Regarding toxicities, IMRT was associated with less acute and chronic adverse events.

Conclusion: IG-IMRT following systemic therapy seems to be associated with a favorable survival and toxicity profile in patients with EN-NHL.

Keywords: Extranodal lymphoma; IMRT; image-guided radiotherapy; immunotherapy; local control; prognosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / radiotherapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Radiotherapy, Image-Guided / mortality*
  • Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / mortality*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate