Long-term Results of Chemotherapy in 106 Cases of Lymphosarcoma and Reticulum Cell Sarcoma

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Abstract
The survival rate of 106 cases of advanced lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma that had received chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, between 1951 and 1962 is reported. The course of both diseases was initially highly malignant, with a median survival of 20 months for lymphosarcoma and 6 months for reticulum cell sarcoma. Cases surviving for over 3 years, however, have a good chance of long survival. Male sex and an age of under 40 (there were no cases of under 13 in our series) seem to be favorable prognostic factors. A long pre-treatment interval is favorable for lymphosarcoma and adverse for reticulum cell sarcoma. The clinical stage (3 or 4 according to the classification of Banfi et al.) does not significantly affect the prognosis of lymphosarcoma whereas in reticulum cell sarcoma survival is strongly correlated with clinical stage. Chemotherapy (with alkylating agents) yielded a 5-year survival rate of 20.8% in lymphosarcoma; with radiotherapy the rate rose to 32.3%. In reticulum cell sarcoma the 5-year survival rate was 20% for chemotherapy alone and 14.2% for chemotherapy in association with radiotherapy. Our data seem to confirm the usefulness of chemotherapy, with or without radiotherapy, in diffuse forms of lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma, especially with regard to long-term survival.