Extranodal-NHL: Outcomeand Comparison with Nodal NHL. Single Institution Experience Year: 1988–2004.

Background & Objective: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) arising in an extra nodal (EN) site is not uncommon and its natural history and treatment is clearly characterized in the literature. Data on EN-NHL and comparison with N-NHL with relation to survival and prognostic factors is scarce in our part of the world. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the anatomic distribution, clinical features and outcome of Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients according to the primary site (extra nodal vs nodal) with applicability of International Prognostic Index (IPI).

Methods: From 1988 to 2004, 711 cases of NHL were diagnosed at our Institute. Out of these 145 (20%) patients were excluded as they were other than DLBCL hitopathology. Five hundreds fifty-seven (80%) patients were analyzed for the clinico-pathologic characteristics, treatment outcome and prognostic factors affecting overall survival.

Ann Arbor staging system was used for staging with bone marrow biopsy, chest and abdominal radiography/CT.

Results: Median age was 48.7 ± 15.3 years; the M: F ratio was 2:1. The distribution according to the primary site was: lymph node, 322 cases (58%) of these 145 cases (44%) stage IV, 76 cases (23%) Stage III, 60 cases (18%) stage II and 47 cases(15%) stage I; and EN sites, 235 (42%), including gastro-intestinal tract (44%) followed by upper aerodigestive tract (19%), bones (08%), spine (05%), and unusual sites less than 3% each as breast, CNS, testis, lungs and skin.

The median survival rate was 4.8 and 6.3 years in NL and ENL respectively vary according to primary site/stage of the lymphoma.

In the univariate analysis age less than 60 years, early stage I -II, extra nodal involvement primarily gastric or bone, 0–1 extra nodal site, 0–1 PS, lack of B symptoms, normal LDH level has been associated with good prognosis.

In the multivariate analysis age, PS, stage and level of LDH were the main variables to predict OS; no nodal or extranodal site maintained their prognostic value.

Conclusion: Our data correspond with series from west increasing incidence extranodal lymphoma due to improved diagnostic techniques and superior results with chemotherapy by preserving the organ. Few patients with bowel obstruction or cord compression lymphoma required surgery for diagnosis or relief of symptoms. There is significant difference from western data in histologies DLBC-NHL is the most common histologies in our study. Overall survival patients with EN-NHL were similar to nodal NH-Lymphoma but largely depended on IPI.