Malignant Lymphoma

Malignant lymphomas are among the tumors that are highly sensitive to radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is usually recommended as an adjunctive treatment after previous systemic treatment (chemotherapy, biological treatment). It is usually targeted at the areas with the highest risk of failure (original tumor sites, large tumors). Due to the excellent effectiveness of radiotherapy (RT), it is not necessary to use radiation doses that exceed the tolerance limits of the surrounding tissues. The problem of irradiating malignant lymphomas lies in most cases in reducing the dose to the surrounding organs at risk.

From a long-term perspective, patients after RT are particularly at risk of developing secondary malignancies and cardiovascular diseases. 14 studies confirmed that proton RT significantly reduces the radiation exposure to high-risk organs. Proton RT should therefore be considered in selected patients in whom it is able to significantly reduce doses to risk structures.