In a consecutive series of 113 patients with localized (Stage I and II) intermediate and high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma we have retrospectively analysed patterns of survival and relapse in relation to presenting features and therapy. Two patients were treated by complete surgical excision. Seventy-two were treated by radiotherapy (RT), 19 by chemotherapy (CT) and 20 by combined CT and RT. A number of different chemotherapy combinations were employed. Overall survival for Stage I patients was 68.3% at 5 years and 65.5% at 10 years; for Stage II patients it was 61.2% at 5 years and 52.2% at 10 years. Recurrence-free survival for Stage I patients was 51.4% at 5 years and 42.1% at 10 years; for Stage II patients it was 46.2% at both 5 and 10 years. Local control by radiation was achieved in 59/72 (82%) patients treated with less than 40 Gy and 19/20 (95%) treated with 40 Gy or more. There was no advantage for extended field irradiation when compared with involved field. Eleven of 19 (58%) patients treated by CT alone achieved complete response (CR). For patients responding completely to CT there was no clear advantage for irradiation of originally involved bulky sites. For patients with Stage II and bulky Stage I disease there was a significant ( P = 0.05) improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and a trend ( P = 0.192) towards improved overall survival for patients treated by CT alone or together with RT compared with RT alone. Independent variables identified by multivariate analysis were age, with better survival for younger patients ( P = 0.034) and histopathological group, with better survival for DPDL compared with DH ( P = 0.015).