Radiation Therapy May Benefit Patients with MALT Lymphoma Resistant to Antibiotics
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Oncology, radiation therapy may improve outcomes for patients with MALT lymphoma who are not responsive to therapy with antibiotics.
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) lymphoma is a type of slow-growing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). NHL includes several different types of cancers that originate within the immune system. MALT lymphoma tends to develop outside of the lymph nodes, most commonly in the stomach, salivary glands, lungs, or thyroid.
Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is associated with the development of MALT lymphoma. Results have demonstrated that treatment with antibiotics to eradicate H.pylori can result in a complete disappearance of lymphoma in some patients with early-stage MALT lymphoma of the stomach. Patients with MALT lymphoma who do not respond to or stop responding to antibiotics can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
Researchers from Harvard recently reviewed the outcomes of patients treated with early-stage MALT lymphoma. This study included 66 patients whose cancer progressed despite antibiotic therapy. Patients were treated with the following therapies: 68% were treated with radiation therapy, 22% were treated with surgery followed by radiation therapy, 3% were treated with surgery and chemotherapy, and one patient received chemotherapy.
At five years progression-free survival was 76%.
At five years overall survival was 91%.
Patients who received radiation therapy had improved progression-free survival and overall survival compared with patients who had not received radiation therapy.
The researchers concluded that radiation therapy appears to provide an improvement in survival among patients with early-stage MALT lymphoma who have not responded to or have stopped responding to antibiotic therapy. However, it is noted that this study was not a clinical trial that directly compared treatment options.
Patients with MALT lymphoma who have stopped responding to antibiotic therapy may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of radiation therapy as a component of their treatment regimen.
Reference: Tsai HK, Li S, Ng AK, et al. Role of radiation therapy in the treatment of stage I/II mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Annals of Oncology [published online]. January 11, 2007.
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) lymphoma is a type of slow-growing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). NHL includes several different types of cancers that originate within the immune system. MALT lymphoma tends to develop outside of the lymph nodes, most commonly in the stomach, salivary glands, lungs, or thyroid.
Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) is associated with the development of MALT lymphoma. Results have demonstrated that treatment with antibiotics to eradicate H.pylori can result in a complete disappearance of lymphoma in some patients with early-stage MALT lymphoma of the stomach. Patients with MALT lymphoma who do not respond to or stop responding to antibiotics can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy.
Researchers from Harvard recently reviewed the outcomes of patients treated with early-stage MALT lymphoma. This study included 66 patients whose cancer progressed despite antibiotic therapy. Patients were treated with the following therapies: 68% were treated with radiation therapy, 22% were treated with surgery followed by radiation therapy, 3% were treated with surgery and chemotherapy, and one patient received chemotherapy.
At five years progression-free survival was 76%.
At five years overall survival was 91%.
Patients who received radiation therapy had improved progression-free survival and overall survival compared with patients who had not received radiation therapy.
The researchers concluded that radiation therapy appears to provide an improvement in survival among patients with early-stage MALT lymphoma who have not responded to or have stopped responding to antibiotic therapy. However, it is noted that this study was not a clinical trial that directly compared treatment options.
Patients with MALT lymphoma who have stopped responding to antibiotic therapy may wish to speak with their physician regarding their individual risks and benefits of radiation therapy as a component of their treatment regimen.
Reference: Tsai HK, Li S, Ng AK, et al. Role of radiation therapy in the treatment of stage I/II mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Annals of Oncology [published online]. January 11, 2007.
posted by TM at 7:15 AM
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