Malignant Lymphoma of Bone

A total of 422 patients with malignant lymphoma of bone who were seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1907 through 1982 were placed into four major groups based on stage of disease. There was one group with primary lymphoma of bone, one group with multifocal osseous lymphoma, and two groups with lymphoma of bone and nodal or soft tissue (or both) disease. The last-mentioned two groups were separated on the basis of time of onset of osseous lymphoma in relation to the nonosseous disease. The stage of disease was the single most important prognostic indicator of overall survival in malignant lymphoma of bone. The 5- and 10-year survival rates were, respectively, 58% and 53% for patients with primary bone lymphoma, 22% and 12.5% for patients with bone and nodal or soft tissue (or both) disease, and 42% and 35% for patients with multifocal osseous disease. Features having no significant prognostic value were sex of the patient, histologic grade of the lymphoma (according to the Working Formulation and the Kiel system), and presence of T-cell features or cleaved cells (or both). This study is not able to adequately address efficacy of treatment. In fact, treatment may be very important in outcome.