[Course of follicular lymphomas in a series of 281 patients]

From 1963 to 1988, 281 patients suffering follicular lymphomas and without previous treatment were treated in the same institution. One hundred and thirty three had a localized disease (72 stages I, 61 stages II) ans 148 an extended disease (83 stages III and 85 stages IV). In the absence of dramatic therapeutic improvement quite all patients were treated in a homogeneous manner with radical radiotherapy for localized disease and palliative chemotherapy for extended ones. Median follow-up is 9 years. Ten year overall survival is 38% and relapse free survival 29.5%. Multivariate analysis show two main prognosis factors: age (+ or - 60 years) and tumoral mass (as shown by stage or number of involved area). Survival depends also on complete remission. Age and tumoral mass allows us to define three prognosis groups: favorable, intermediate, unfavorable. These groups justify different therapeutic approach and different proposals for prospective therapeutic trials.