Does radiotherapy improve outcomes for patients with primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma?

This study evaluated the impact of radiotherapy on the outcomes of rituximab (Rituxan)-treated patients with primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This study concluded that radiotherapy has significant therapeutic benefits for these patients.

Primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a rare type of extranodal (outside the lymph nodes) non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Before the introduction of rituximab, treatment typically involved chemotherapy followed by consolidative radiation therapy.

Previous research has shown that rituximab improves survival outcomes for patients with primary breast DLBCL. Whether consolidative radiation therapy benefits these patients or increases the risk of toxic side effects remains unclear.

This study analyzed the medical records of 386 patients with primary breast DLBCL. Patients had stage 1 (69.9%) or stage 2 (30.1%) disease. 66.1% of patients were age 60 or older. 51.8% of patients received radiotherapy. The average follow-up period was 45 months.

For all patients, the five-year overall survival (time from treatment until death from any cause) was 72.3%. Cause-specific survival (those who did not die directly from the cancer) was 82.5%. Five-year overall survival was significantly higher for patients who received RT (78.1%) compared to patients who did not (66.0%).

Radiotherapy was associated with a significantly decreased risk of shorter survival. Being age 60 or older was associated with a significantly increased risk of shorter survival.

This study concluded that radiotherapy has significant therapeutic benefits for rituximab-treated patients with primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

This study was retrospective, meaning it looked back in time to analyze data.