Combined therapy in untreated patients improves outcome in Nasal NK/T lymphoma: results of a clinical trial

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) London, England), 2013-09, Vol.30 (3), p.637-637, Article 637
• Main Authors: Avilés, Agustin, Neri, Natividad, Fernández, Raúl, Huerta-Guzmán, Judith, Nambo, Maria-Jesus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Combined Modality Therapy - methods; Disease Progression; Female; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - drug therapy; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - radiotherapy; Lymphoma, T-Cell - drug therapy; Lymphoma, T-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - radiotherapy; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Original Paper; Pathology; Prognosis; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12032-013-0637-1

Nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma is a rare presentation of T-cell lymphoma in USA and in Europe, but is the most common presentation in Latin America. The lymphoma is associated with a worse prognosis even in the early stage. Until now, a better treatment has not been determined. We performed a prospective, open-label, controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy and toxicity of the most common treatment options. We treated 427 patients, of whom 109 patients received radiotherapy (RT), 116 patients received chemotherapy (C), and 202 patients received combined therapy (CT), which were balanced according to stage and prognostic factors. Complete response was achieved in 91 % (95 % confidence interval CI 88–102 %) in CT arm 69 % (95 % CI 61–75 %) in RT arm; and 59 % (95 % CI 48–64 %) in C arm ( p