Results of radiotherapy for orbital and adnexal lymphoma

Twenty-five patients presenting with stage I primary orbital and/or ocular adnexal lymphoma from May 1990 through January 1997 were retrospectively reviewed at National Taiwan University Hospital. Staging workups included physical examination, chest radiography, blood analysis, whole-body CT scan, CSF examination and bone marrow biopsy. The histological types, based on the National Cancer Institute working formulation, were 17 cases of low-grade and 8 of intermediate lymphoma. Twenty patients received radiotherapy, while five cases refused. All patients except two received a radiation dose of 40 Gy, the other two received 30 Gy. The mean follow-up period was 4.7 +/- 1.6 years (2-8 years). Local control of disease was achieved in all 20 patients, but one patient with low-grade lymphoma developed disseminated disease with parotid gland, bone marrow and lung involvement 43 months after radiotherapy. Two out of five patients who refused treatment with radiotherapy developed systemic involvement 24 months and 18 months after diagnosis. Dry eye (45%) and cataract formation (35%) were among the most frequent complications in this study. One patient developed a recalcitrant trophic corneal ulcer and ultimately required corneal transplantation. In conclusion, radiotherapy is a safe and effective local treatment in the management of primary orbital or adnexal lymphoma.