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[Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Northern Norway]
Anders Vik1, Nina Helbekkmo, Roy M Bremnes
1Medisinsk avdeling, Regionsykehuset i Tromsø 9038 Tromsø. anders.vik@rito.no
Background:
We present a study of treatment outcome and evaluate pre-treatment prognostic factors in patients treated for low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LG-NHL) at our institution during a ten-year period.
Material And Methods:
169 consecutively registered patients from 1986 to 1996 were retrospectively analysed with regard to demographic, treatment, and disease-specific characteristics. Median follow-up time was 52 months. All patients were diagnosed histologically according to the previous Kiel classification system. Median age was 60 years; the male:female ratio was 1.05:1.
Results:
The response rate was 66%; median overall survival 8.3 years. Five and ten-year overall survival were 72% and 47% respectively. For stage 1, 2, 3 and 4, ten-year overall survival were 86%, 65%, 33% and 29%. Of the pre-treatment parameters, advanced stage, B-symptoms, poor performance status, bone marrow infiltration, tumour > or = 6 cm, low serum albumin, anaemia, and LD > or = 540 U/l were all related to survival. According to the multivariate analysis, stage, performance status, tumour size, and anaemia were found to be independent prognostic factors for overall survival.
Interpretation:
The strategy of radiation therapy has proved successful for most patients with stage 1 disease. Independent prognostic factors for overall survival such as stage, performance status, tumour size, and anaemia may be useful guides in deciding when and how to treat.