Radiotherapy and chemotherapy in stages I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of Waldeyer's ring

Sixty-four patients with stages I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) involving Waldeyer's ring treated between 1970 and 1987 were reviewed. Patients with stage II NHL were subdivided into stage II 1 (limited type) and stage II2 (advanced type) from the state of neck nodes. Stage II1 was defined as involvement of unilateral cervical nodes less than 4 cm in diameter as well as Waldeyer's ring involvement. Other stage II cases were classified as stage II2. All 17 patients with stage I NHL were treated with radiation therapy alone. Their diseases were well controlled, and none of them died of causes related to the lymphoma. Among 14 patients with stage II1 NHL, the 5-year survival rate for the 9 patients treated with radiation therapy alone was 87.5%. Until 1982, 19 of 21 patients with stage II2 NHL treated with radiation therapy alone or radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy (VEMP or COPP) died within 5 years mainly of disseminated diseases. Since 1983, CHOP has been used as the main treatment as well as radiotherapy for the 12 stage II2 NHL patients. So far, only 3 of them relapsed and 2 of them died of causes related to the lymphoma. Only 1 of these 12 patients was T-cell lymphoma compared to 7 of 9 stage II2 patients before 1982. This suggests that patients with stage I and those with limited stage II can be safely treated with radiotherapy. Also aggressive chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy should be used for patients with advanced stage II NHL involving Waldeyer's ring.