Radiation therapy for primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck in stages I and II.

From January 1975 through December 1986, 58 previously untreated patients with primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the head and neck in stages I and II were treated at our department. Thirty-seven patients were classified as stage I and 21 as stage II. Complete local remission was obtained in all cases. The 5-year survival rates were 68% and 79% in stages I and II, respectively. The 5-year survival rates according to site of origin were as follows: Waldeyer's ring 77% and neck lymph node 63%. The 5-year survival rates according to the histological classification of the Working Formulation were 73% intermediate grade malignancy and 63% for high grade malignancy. Chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy was essential, especially for cases in stage II. The 5-year survival rate was 100% for patients with chemotherapy and 71% without chemotherapy. The relapse-free 5-year survival rate was 67% with chemotherapy and 36% without chemotherapy. Most first failures were due to the development of generalized disease and the 5-year survival rate after salvage was 44%.