Ultra-low-dose radiation treatment for early-stage ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the long-term outcomes of ultra-low-dose (4 Gy) radiation treatment (RT) in patients with early-stage ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods: This retrospective case series includes eight patients with ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma who received ultra-low-dose RT at a single tertiary referral center between March 2016 and February 2018. Response to treatment and the time taken to respond were analyzed. Results: Of the eight patients (three men, five women), seven patients had conjunctival lymphoma (T1N0M0), and one patient had orbital lymphoma (T2N0M0). Six patients with T1 disease showed complete response (CR), and the median time to CR was 4.5 months (range 2–5). Partial response was achieved in the remaining two patients (one each with T1 and T2). During the median follow-up period of 44 months (range 30–54), none of the patients had a relapse or needed additional treatment. RT was well-tolerated in all patients with no ocular complications, including cataracts and dry eye. Conclusion: This case series suggests that ultra-low-dose RT is effective and well-tolerated in patients with early-stage ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma. Further studies with a larger sample size and long-term follow-up are needed to evaluate the local control rate and disease-free survival precisely.