[Results of therapy for orbital malignant lymphoma]

To elucidate the clinical and histopathological features of orbital malignant lymphoma, and to develop a protocol for effective treatment.

The present study analyzed 18 cases of orbital lymphoma which were treated at Yamagata University Hospital over the last 14 years. The tentative strategy for choosing the treatment was to treat the cases of clinical stage I (Ann Arbor criteria) with curative intent and the cases of stage II-IV with palliative intent.

Six patients had primary orbital lymphomas, 2 had secondary orbital lymphomas, and 10 had metastatic orbital lymphomas. Histopathologically, all the cases of primary lymphoma were of low-grade malignancy and all the cases of secondary lymphoma were of intermediate-grade malignancy. Of the metastatic lymphoma cases, 3 were of low-grade and 7 of intermediate-grade malignancy. The cases of primary lymphoma were Stage I and were treated by radiation or chemotherapy. The cases with secondary lymphoma were Stage II and were treated by both radiation and chemotherapy. The cases with metastatic lymphoma were Stage III or IV and were treated by chemotherapy and/or radiation. Control of orbital lymphoma was achieved in all 6 cases with primary lymphomas. Although the survival rate was 0% for secondary lymphomas and 50% for metastatic lymphomas, ocular complications were improved during the remainder of the patients' life.

All the primary orbital lymphomas were treated effectively by radiation or chemotherapy. For secondary and metastatic orbital lymphoma, our strategy for treatment was beneficial by improving ocular complications and the quality of life.