Stage I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: long-term results of radiation therapy.

One hundred and sixteen patients with Stages I and II non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were treated with curative radiotherapy between 1964 and 1977. The initial biopsy material was classified according to the criteria of Rappaport et al. All the patients except six were followed for a minimum of 8 years or until death with ninety-two patients having been followed for 10 or more years. Histological pattern was found to be an important prognostic factor with better survival in patients with nodular histology. There were forty-three patients with an initial involvement of an extra-nodal site forming 37% of the total group. Stage I extra-nodal lymphomas had a survival and recurrence-free survival rates of 80% and 74% respectively, similar to those of nodal lymphomas. Stage II patients in both groups did worse than those with Stage I. Survival rates and disease-free survival rates for different histologic types and their pattern of recurrence are presented.