Non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma of the sinonasal tract--treatment outcome for 53 patients according to REAL classification.

OBJECTIVE: Although the Working Formulation is commonly used to classify NHL in Japan, it has been recognized as imperfect for primary extranodal lymphoma, especially for patients with sinonasal disease because of their histological characteristics. The present study investigated the clinical characteristics and the prognosis of sinonasal lymphomas according to REAL classification. METHODS: Fifty-three patients with non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma (NHL) of the sinonasal tract were treated between 1981 and 1997. The age at clinical presentation was from 10 to 84 years (mean, 52.4 years). According to the Ann Arbor system, there were 30 patients with Stage IE, 13 with Stage IIE, 4 with Stage IIIE, and 6 with Stage IVE lymphomas. Twenty-two patients (41.5%) had B symptoms. The primary sites were the nasal cavity (67.8%), maxillary sinus (20.8%), ethmoidal sinus (9.4%), and frontal sinus (1.9%). The survival data was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical analysis was performed with a generalized Wilcoxon method. RESULTS: All of the lymphomas showed a diffuse growth pattern. Based on the origin of the tumor cells, the authors classified NHL of the sinonasal tract into five groups with the REAL classification of Japan: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (22.6%), peripheral T-cell lymphomas (15.1%), angiocentric lymphoma (35.9%), other lymphomas and unclassified types. Of 53 patients, 39 (73.6%) received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, eight patients received chemotherapy alone, and four patients received radiotherapy alone. The cumulative 5-year survival rates were 28.5% for all of the types, 55.0% for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 33.3% for peripheral T-cell lymphoma, and 19.7% for angiocentric lymphoma. Results suggest that conventional combined treatment (CHOP chemotherapy+radiotherapy) is ineffective for NHL of the sinonasal tract, and especially so for NHL in the nasal cavity, NHL with tumor cells with positive T-cell markers, NHL further than Stage IIE and NHL with B symptoms. CONCLUSION: (1) In light of this ineffectiveness, new therapies must be developed to improve patient outcome instead of the conventional combined treatment; (2) REAL classification is clear and useful for sinonasal lymphomas in Japan.

[Cervical lymphnode metastasis of early or late T2 tongue carcinoma].

Between 1986 and 1997, 72 patients (47 males, 25 females) with previously untreated tongue cancer were treated at our institution (surgery: 67, interstitial radiotherapy: 3, palliative therapy: 2). These patients, especially T2 tongue cancer, were classified into two groups (early T2: < or = 3 cm, late T2: > 3 cm) according to the maximum diameter of the primary lesion, and were analyzed for treatment outcome and cervical lymphnode metastasis. (1) The cumulative 5-year survival rates were 65.9% for all cases, 95.0% for T1 cases, 77.5% (94.1% for early T2, 59.7% for late T2) for T2 cases, 24.3% for T3 cases (4-year survival rate), and 0% for T4 cases. (2) The cumulative 5-year survival rates were 90.8% for pN- patients and 21.7% for pN+ patients and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05%). In prognosis, pN- patients were better than pN+ patients. Since the N factor was related to the cause of death in 87.5% (7/8) of T2 tongue cancer, control of regional lymph node involvement was the most important prognostic factor. (3) The overall incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis (pN+ or secondary nodal metastasis) was 35.3% for early T2 and 750% for late T2. The control rate of secondary nodal metastasis was 75.0% for early T2 and 33.3% for late T2. Partial glossectomy only (observation for occult lymphnode metastasis) is recommended for treatment of T2N0, whereas glossectomy with selective neck dissection by the pull-through method is recommended for treatment of late T2.

[Esophageal reconstruction for esophageal stricture after corrosive injury].

Swallowing a corrosive agent (alkali or acid) often causes severe pharyngeal, laryngeal or esophageal stricture (caustic stenosis), which is usually very difficult to treat. This paper reports two cases of esophageal stricture treated by esophagoplasty. Both cases had attempted suicide by swallowing a sodium hydroxide solution or acid. Case 1 was a 66-year-old man found to have severe hypopharynx and thoracic esophagus stenosis with supraglottic stricture. The supraglottic stricture was reconstructed with an ileocolon graft and laryngectomy. The intestinal anastomosis was patent, but the peristaltic motion in the ileocolon was not good. The patient continues to have difficulty achieving sufficient oral feeding and to receive supplemental feeding via a jejunostomy. Case 2 was a 81-year-old woman with severe thoracic esophagus stenosis after gastrectomy. The lesion was reconstructed with a jejenum graft. The intestinal anastomosis was patent. She achieved oral alimentation of both liquids and solids without aspiration after surgery. Esophagectomy in these cases can be difficult and hazardous due to extensive fibrosis and many adhesions to adjacent structures. In both cases, the reconstructed intestine passed through the ante-sternal route, so there was severe scar formation in the mediastinum, and an esophago-skin fistula formed in the cervical skin. Cervical vessels and intestinal vessels were anastomosed for blood supply to the reconstructed intestinal tract. This method is useful because it is safe and results in good deglution.

[Cases of lethal midline granuloma (polymorphic reticulosis) at our department in a recent 10-year period].

We had 18 patients (15 males and 3 females) with lethal midline granuloma (polymorphic reticulosis) in the period from 1981 to 1990. This number was about 5.6% of the total number of patients with malignant head and neck tumors that we encountered during this period. An average of 9.1 months separated the first appearance of disease and the beginning of treatment. Most of the 18 patients underwent both radiation therapy and chemotherapy (COP, CHOP, MACOP-B), but, since their disease had reached an advanced stage, 3 underwent radiation therapy only, 3 underwent chemotherapy only, and 1 received no radical therapy at all. Of the 18 patients, 13 died of the disease. In of 6 of these, the disease was confined to the local lesion. The 5-year cumulative survival rate was 15.7% (Kaplan-Meier). Fourteen autopsy studies revealed that tumor cells had invaded the liver (92.8%), lung (92.8%) and spleen (71.4%) and in all cases it was in leukemic patterns. Fifteen cases were studied for tumor surface marker phenotype, but none was found to be positive for L26, CD43, Leu M1 (CD15), or MAC 387. Five cases were positive for UCHL-1 (CD45RO) and 10 cases were positive for lysozyme. All cases were positive for Ki-1 (CD30).

Five cases of mucormycosis in paranasal sinuses.

Five cases of mucormycosis are reported, 2 of them suffered from immunosuppression, the other 3 did not. We conclude that a combination of CT and bacteriological findings is useful for the diagnosis of mucormycosis differentially from other diseases. Therapy consisted of paranasal debridement and administration of amphotericin B.

[Clinical study of postcricoid carcinoma].

We had 31 patients (8 males and 23 females) with postcricoid carcinoma in the period from 1978 to 1988. This number of patients correspond to about 15.3% of patient with hypopharyngeal carcinoma we encountered in this period. There were 4 patients in the condition Stage I, 8 in Stage II, 7 in Stage III and 12 in Stage IV. Most of these patients underwent radical surgery, 5-year cumulative survival rate was 46.8% (Kaplan-Meier). The cause of death was neck metastasis in 75% of patients who died of postcricoid carcinoma. There was a significant difference in survival curve between patients with neck metastasis and patients free from it (5-year cumulative survival rate was 68.0% and 16.7%, respectively; p less than 0.01). Neck metastasis was noted in the paratracheal region in 29.0% of patients. In patients with primary tumor of not larger 2.5cm (n = 7), no metastasis was noted, nor recurrence in this series of patients.