[Abdominal presentation of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) - surgical treatment and its results. Report of the Polish Paediatric Leukaemia/Lymphoma Study Group].

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of LMB-89 protocol and surgical procedure at initial laparotomy on the outcome in children with abdominal B-cell NHL. The initial surgery intervention was: complete resection (20% pts), subtotal resection (20%), partial resection (4%), biopsy (36%). Postoperative complications occurred in 5 children. Complete recovery (CR) was achieved in 92% pts. There were 4% non responder patients. Two patients died before CR evaluation (tumour lysis syndrome; bleeding and multi organ failure after initial surgery). One patient died in CCR from sepsis probably influenced by the previous local operation. 10.8% patients relapsed. The estimate EFS for all patients with AB-NHL is 81%, 85% for stage III and 73% for stage IV. Major surgery in advanced stages is not recommended since it delays chemotherapy and fails to improve overall survival.