Radiation Therapy In Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Of The Head and Neck

Abstract

IntroductionThe role of radiation therapy in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is not well established. While the NCCN guidelines recommend combined modality treatment with consolidative radiation therapy after chemotherapy for localized (stage I and II) disease, the data supporting this recommendation is lacking and is extrapolated from B-cell lymphoma. MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of outcome in patients with non-cutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma of the head and neck from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database diagnosed between 1981-2010. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier estimates using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed using Cox regression analysis. ResultsOf the 307 patients analyzed, 130 (43%) underwent radiation therapy. The median age was 59 years old, 60.3% were male, 73.9% were Caucasian and the median year of diagnosis was 2004. The majority of patients had PTCL, Not Otherwise Specified (74.3%), followed by anaplastic large cell histology (22.2%). Patients were grouped as stage I (47.2%), stage II (29.9%) and stage III/IV (22.8%). Head and neck sites included the nasal cavity (28.3%), oropharynx (25.7%), oral cavity (21.2%), salivary gland (11.7%), nasopharynx (7.8%) and larynx/hypopharynx (5.2%).The median follow-up was 54 months for survivors. Radiation therapy was associated with a higher 5-year overall survival in all patients (56.7% vs. 38.4%, p=0.001), patients with stage I disease (63.4% vs. 53.4%, p=0.036) and patients with stage II disease (60.8% vs. 36.3%, p=0.034), see Figure 1. Radiation therapy was not associated with a difference in overall survival in patients with stage III/IV disease (p=0.91). [Display omitted] Univariate analysis demonstrated that age, stage, radiation therapy and marital status were predictive of overall survival, but sex, and race were not. The year (p=0.93) or decade of treatment (p=0.67) did not impact overall survival. On multivariable analysis, increasing age (HR: 1.02, p<0.001), increasing stage (HR: 1.42, p=0.004), radiation therapy (HR: 0.60, p=0.011) and marital status of not married (HR: 1.49, p=0.035) remained statistically significant predictors of overall survival.An additional analysis was performed excluding patients who survived less than 3 months to account for mortality related to disease progression or chemotherapy toxicity. After excluding these 45 patients, radiation therapy was still associated with increased overall survival in all patients (p<0.001) and in patient with limited stage disease (p=0.021). ConclusionsThe integration of local radiation therapy to the treatment of PTCL of the head and neck may improve overall survival in patients with limited stage disease. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.