Radiotherapy

Malignant lymphoma is believed to be highly sensitive to radiation. Radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) is discussed with a review of the literature. The article focuses on the following: (1) a treatment policy for HD and NHL according to pathohistologic and clinical stagings; (2) representative irradiated fields, including mantle, Waldeyer region, and inverted-Y region for HD and Waldeyer region, whole abdomen, and total body for NHL; (3) results of radiotherapy for HD according to stages I, II, III, and IV, and those for NHL according to slight and moderate lymphomas; (4) NHL originating in the head and neck; (5) the time and site of recurrence of NHL; and (6) acute and subacute or chronic radiation hazards, such as radiation pneumonitis, hypothyroidism, disturbances in the heart, kidney, digestive tract, nervous system, and gonad, and second cancer. (Namekawa, K.)