The management of primary lymphoma of bone

From October 1962 through April 1982, 21 patients with the diagnosis of primary lymphoma of bone (18 monostotic, stages I E and II E; 3 polyostotic) were treated with curative intent. A combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy was used in 11 patients, local treatment alone in 9 patients, and chemotherapy alone in one patient. Overall 5-year survival for the patients treated with curative intent was 56%. Standard work-up has changed over the 20-year study period. Five-year survival for the subset of eight stage I and II patients with full pretherapy staging was 83%. Prognosis was significantly correlated with extent of pretherapy staging. Treatment parameters that also seemed to predict outcome were the aggressiveness of chemotherapy and the use of irradiation or surgery for local-regional disease; the only local failure occurred in the patient who received chemotherapy alone. Complications of radiation therapy alone and in combination with chemotherapy are discussed and correlated with irradiation dose. Radiation therapy techniques are described, and a management approach is recommended.