Treatment Results of Malignant Lymphoma of Nasopharynx at National Taiwan University Hospital

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic results of nasopharyngeal malignant lymphoma treated at NTUH over the past fifteen years (1979-1993). Materials & Methods: Forty patients with malignant lymphoma of nasopharynx visited our hospital in the past fifteen years and their data were analyzed. The age of the patients ranged from 13 to 81 years old. There were 20 male patients and 20 female patients. Stage I and LI patients were 18 and 22, respectively. According to histopathologic classification, patients with low grade, intermediate grade and high grade malignant lymphoma were 10, 26 and 4, respectively. Seven patients received radical radiotherapy and 15 patients received chemotherapy. The remaining 10 patients were treated by combined chemotherapy and irradiation. Eight patients did not receive any treatment. Results: The actuarial five-year survival rates for nasopharyngeal malignant lymphoma patients with Stage I, II were 65.7% and 27.3%, respectively. When classified by the Rappaport classification, the actuarial five-year survival rates for patients of nodular type and diffuse type were 72.7% and 33.5%, respectively. The actuarial five-year survival rates for patients of Low grade, intermediate grade and high grade nasopharyngeal malignant lymphoma were 80.0%, 39.0%, and 50.0%, respectively. The actuarial five- year survival rates for patients treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy and combined treatment modalities were 100.0%, 58.7%, and 30.0%, respectively.Conclusion: Lymphoma clinically localized to nasopharynx can be cured by radiotherapy. When classified by histopathology, patients with low grade or nodular type can be successfully treated using local radiotherapy alone. Chemotherapy used as primary treatment (with or without adjuvant radiotherapy) may be benefit for intermediate grade or diffuse type patients.