The Spread of Malignant Lymphomas in Children

Lymphography in Childhood Cancer

Lymphographic investigations were done in 139 children (84 males and 55 females). Up to the age of 10 years the examination was performed in anesthesia; after that age suitable sedation only was given. The radiographic pattern of the lymph node involvement in this type of tumor is the same in children as in adults. Peculiar patterns were observed in neuroblastoma and in Ewing's sarcoma. 78 patients (57.4%) were suffering from systemic disease and 59 (41.9%) from solid tumors; in 2 cases the clinical diagnosis of tumor was not borne out by the histologic findings. In 35.3% of the cases with Hodgkin's disease and in 29% of supradiaphragmatic reticuloendothelial sarcoma lymphography revealed subdiaphragmatic lymph node involvement. In the stage III and IV patients lymphography was always pathologic. Pathologic lymph nodes were found in 3/10 patients with lymphoma arising in Waldeyer's tonsillar ring. Metastases were present in 40/59 of the cases of solid tumor (68.9%); the incidence of metastases was especially high in neuroblastoma (20/24), in rhabdomyosarcoma (4/5) and in tumors of the gonades (7/9). 16 cases were operated on; 2 false positives were found for lymph nodes in which there was pronounced reactive inflammatory hyperplasia.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children

In a study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children, 104 children were treated and followed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1964 throughout June 1974. Forty-three patients, previously treated and untreated, received a nonspecific group of various chemotherapeutic agents and attained an 11% disease-free survival rate. A second group of 18 previously untreated patients, who received a chemotherapeutic regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide alone, achieved a 33% disease-free survival rate. The last group, 43 previously untreated patients (77% of whom had far advanced disease and 86% of whom had diffuse histological types) who received a new and intensive multiple-drug regimen (the LSA2-L2 protocol) consisting of induction, consolidation, and maintenance phases, has maintained an 81% disease-free survival rate after a median observation time of 21+ months. Although nervous system involvement and recurrence or metastases at any time are poor prognostic factors, initial marrow involvement and the amount of bulky disease are no longer considered negative prognosticators when intensive treatment is initiated immediately after diagnosis, is continued for 2--3 years, and includes radiation therapy to sites of bulky disease and CNS prophylaxis. The LS2-L2 treatment is effective in accomplishing the dual aims of not only increasing the numbers of disease-free patients but also prolonging their survival.