Radiation Therapy In Management Of Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Of Central Nervous System

Hong, Seong Eon

Abstract

From 1982 to 1991, sixteen patients with primary on-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the central nervous system (CNS) were seen at Kyung Hee University Hospital. The most common subtypes were large, noncleaved cell lymphoma and immunoblastic lymphoma of B cells. Lesions most commolnly involved were the parietal lobes and/or deep nuclei. Positive cerebrospinal fluid cytology was rare at initial presentation. Sixteen patients were treated with surgical biopsy or resection followed by whole brain radiotherapy at a median dose of 40 Gy(range=30-50 Gy) with variable boost doses. Of 16 patients who underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, fourteen patients died between 2 and 49 months following treatment, and two are alive with no evidence of disease at 8 and 22 months. The 1-and 2-year survival rates were 55.6% and 34.7% respectively with 12 months of median survival. Patterns of failure were analyzed in eleven patients of total 16 patients. Failure at the original site of involvement was uncommon after radiotherapy treatment. In contrast, failure in the brain at sites other than those originally involved was common in spite of the use of whole brain irradiation. Failure occurred in the brain 11/16(68.7%), in spinal axis 4/16(25.0%). The age, sex. Location of involvement within CNS, numbers of lesion, or radiation dose did not influence on survival. The authors conclude that primary CNS lymphoma is a locally aggressive disease that is poorly controlled with conventional radiation therapy. The limitation of current therapy for this disease are discussed, and certain promising modality should be made in regarding the management of future patients with this disease.