Chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy followed by consolidative radiotherapy for limited-stage aggressive non-Hodgkinʹs lymphoma: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AbstractObjective tematically investigate chemotherapy versus chemotherapy followed by involved field radiotherapy for limited-stage aggressive non-Hodgkinʹs lymphoma. ematic literature search of Pubmed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane central register of controlled trials was performed. Data from all randomized controlled trials comparing chemotherapy alone with chemotherapy followed by involved field radiotherapy in patients with limited-stage aggressive non-Hodgkinʹs lymphoma was collaborate. The primary outcome was overall survival; secondary outcomes were event-free survival and cumulative incidences of toxicity. s randomized controlled trials, with 1263 participants in total, were analyzed. Median follow-up was 11 years. Patients receiving chemotherapy followed by involved field radiotherapy had a significant benefit on event-free survival (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14 to 1.90; P = 0.003), but not improved overall survival (HR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.25; P = 0.978) at 8 years, in relation to those in the chemotherapy alone arm. There were great differences in the reporting of cumulative incidences of toxicity. sion herapy followed by involved field radiotherapy, as compared with chemotherapy alone, is associated with better event-free survival, but no survival benefit is observed for patients for limited-stage aggressive non-Hodgkinʹs lymphoma. These results needed to be confirmed by high quality trials and further studies in the East.