[Epiduritis disclosing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Apropos of 11 cases]

We report eleven cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) revealed by epidural involvement treated at the Pitié Salpêtrière Tumor Center over ten years. This condition is uncommon. The tumor can be excised after laminectomy, thus establishing diagnosis. Rather than on histological type, prognosis is dependent on the presence or absence of associated vertebral involvement. Four patients presented with apparently primary, localized, epidural involvement without vertebral lesions; they are still alive 2, 3, 6 and 11 years after onset. Prognosis is guarded in the seven other patients as they have vertebral involvement; other localizations are frequently found and survival does not exceed 8 to 36 months. Only 3 patients are still alive, 8 months, 10 months and 3 years after onset. We advocate preoperative irradiation of the tumor delivering 45.00 Grays, followed by systematic combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be given both before and after radiotherapy in patients with vertebral bone involvement.