clinical features and treatment outcome in 26 cases with ki-l (cd30) positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma

in order to present the clinical features and outcome of patients with ki-l positive lymphoma and also the role of treatment modalities in this type of malignant disease, twenty-six patients with peripheral lymphadenopathy and a biopsyproven diagnosis ofki-l positive lymphoma referring to the radiation oncology department during a seven year period were treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to the stage of the disease and after about 3 years of followup the outcome was evaluated. after an initial complete remission for a few months, most patients in advanced stages and a few cases in early stages developed recurrence for whom chemotherapy was started. the majority achieved remission again. after 3 years of follow 'up 18 of 26 patients were alive with no evidence of disease. as the behavior of this lymphoma is related to initial stage of disease rather than to ki-l expression, radiation therapy may be an acceptable modality adjunctive to chemotherapy in patients with such lymphomas, particularly in those with localized disease for getting better disease control.