Purpose: The presentation of techniques and results of lens-sparing external beam radiotherapy of patients with ophthalmologic lymphomas.
Material and methods: From 1991 to 2001, at the Department of Radiotherapy of the National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, 92 patients with periocular lymphomas were treated by photon and/or electron beam irradiation depending on the localization. Mean age was 63 years (range: 26-89 years) and the male/female ratio was 1.3. According to the Ann Arbor classification, 72% were in stage I.E. Histologically 85 patients (92.4%) were Grade I while 7 patients (7.6%) presented with higher grade disease. In case of low-grade lymphoma, a dose of 24-32 Gy was delivered, and for higher grade of malignancy we applied 34-40 Gy total dose, using 1.8-2 Gy daily fractions.
Results: The local remission rate was 94.4% (CR: 78.8% and PR: 15.6%). There was no change in 2.3%, and 3.3% showed progression. Mild and intermediate acute side effects occurred in 28%, and the incidence of chronic late complications was 3%.
Conclusion: External beam radiotherapy applying lens-sparing methods is safe and effective in the treatment of periocular lymphomas.