Advanced lymphocytic lymphoma: randomized comparisons of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, alone or in combination.

Ninety-nine previously untreated patients with stage III and IV malignant lymphoma were randomized to receive either cyclic combination chemotherapy (50 patients) or extensive "systemic" radiotherapy (49 patients). Histologic classification included nodular poorly differentiated lymphoma (54 patients), nodular mixed lymphoma (21 patients), and diffuse poorly differentiated lymphoma (24 patients). High overall response rates were seen with either approach (90% for radiotherpy; 86% for chemotherapy) and complete remission were relatively common (60%--80%). Overall median survival of all patients in this trial will exceed 5 years regardless of the induction therapy used; however, disease-free survival is not commonly achieved with either regimen. Relapse-free survival rates at 4-year followup, regardless of induction regimen, are 13% for diffuse lymphomas and 24% for nodular lymphomas. The second prospective trial attempts to use a combined approach and compares cyclic combination chemotherapy with total-body irradiation and combination chemotherapy. Initial results on 34 patients indicate high overall response rates (100%) and similar complete remission rates (64%--67%). With 14 months' median followup no patients in either arm of the trial have died but relatively equal numbers have relapsed.