The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of early stage large cell lymphoma.

Nineteen patients with localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma large cell type classified by the international formulation in group D (5) and group G (14) were treated with extended field radiation therapy. These patients have been followed for 168 months with range from 12 to 168 months from initiation of treatment. In G category of the formulation, the overall survival is 83 per cent at 5 and 10 years and recurrence-free survival is 75 per cent at 10 years. Sixteen of the patients were stage I and three were stage II. Two patients died without evidence of recurrence. Four patients recurred and two of these died of disease. Thirteen of the 19 patients are alive and recurrence free. Bulk of disease had no apparent influence on the response to irradiation. We believe that the early pathological stage large cell lymphoma of the G and D type international formulation are appropriate candidates for radical radiation therapy and benefit from this approach to treatment.