Survival outcomes of T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report of 111 cases

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE: T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a gro up of heterogeneous malignancies with poor prognosis, and without ideal therapeu tic regimen. This study was to summarize clinical and pathologic features of T-c ell NHL. METHODS: Records of 111 patients with T-cell NHL, treated from Jan. 199 4 to Dec. 2001 in Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were classified according to WHO classification crite ria. RESULTS: Median age of the whole group was 37 years (ranged 7-77 years). Of the 111 patients, 82 were men, 29 were women; 45 (40.5%) were treated with chem oradiotherapy, 62 (55.8%) were treated with chemotherapy alone, and 4 (3.6%) wer e treated with radiotherapy alone. The 3-year survival rate of the whole group w as 45% with a median follow-up of 28 months. The 3-year survival rates of chemor adiotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy groups were 56%, 38%, and 25%, respe ctively. Among all histological type subgroups, the prognosis of NK/T-cell lymph oma was the worst with the 3-year survival rate of only 25%; the 3-year survival rate was 40% in unspecified peripheral T-cell lymphoma group,and 85% in angioim munoblast T-cell lymphoma group. International prognostic index was a significan t factor for predicting overall survival. The 3-year survival rates of low risk, low-intermediate risk,intermediate-high risk, and high risk groups were 60%, 30% , 10%, and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Present treatment modalities for T-cel l NHL patients, especially the high risk patients, can't achieve satisfactory ou tcomes. New treatment modality for these patients needs to be explored.