[Limited chemotherapy and radiotherapy for stage I-II intermediate or high grade lymphoma of nodal sites or Waldeyer's ring].

Between 1982 and 1988, forty-four patients with stage I-II intermediate or high grade lymphoma of nodal sites or Waldeyer's ring were treated with the protocol of full dose CHOP and irradiation. Two of these patients had B symptoms. Because the early results of the initial standard treatment with 6 cycles of CHOP and 40 Gy of irradiation were excellent with no relapses, the number of cycles of CHOP and total doses of irradiation were gradually reduced in order to make treatment safer. Since 1987, 3 cycles of CHOP and irradiation of 30 Gy has become the new standard treatment for patients without bulky tumor. All but a few of the 44 patients were treated within the range of these two standards. The follow-up period of 44 patients ranged from 20 to 94 months with median of 56 months. Two patients relapsed and died of disease, both of whom had B symptoms at the initial presentation. Another patient with a prior history of liver dysfunction died of complications of CHOP. The remaining 41 patients are currently alive and free of disease. Fifteen of these patients received the new standard treatment with median follow-up of 28 months, and all are alive and well. In the same period, thirteen patients with the same stage, histology and primary sites were treated outside the protocol mainly with radiation alone because of old age or very small lesion. Five of them died of disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)