Consolidative involved field radiotherapy after high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case-control study

The role of involved field radiation therapy (IF‐RT) after high dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) for non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has not been conclusively defined. It has been hypothesized that HDC might obviate the need of consolidative IF‐RT. A retrospective matched‐pair analysis of patients undergoing HDC and ASCT with or without consolidative IF‐RT has been performed. Fifteen patients treated with IF‐RT after ASCT were compared with 15 patients without IF‐RT, identical for histology, stage and treatment response to HDC/ASCT as well as comparable for international prognostic index (IPI) score, age and gender. After a mean follow‐up time of 65 ± 45 months, none of the patients with consolidative IF‐RT following HDC and ASCT relapsed within the involved field compared to six patients without consolidative IF‐RT (IF‐failure risk at 5 years: 0% vs. 40%; p