Role of radiotherapy

Indolent lymphomas are highly radiosensitive. Modern, highly conformal radiotherapy with moderate doses (24–30 Gy) can be administered to virtually any site in the body with few and manageable side effects. In localized indolent lymphomas, primary radiation therapy with moderate doses offers local disease control in virtually all patients and the possibility for a cure. Local radiotherapy with very low doses (4 Gy in two fractions) is a valuable option, particularly for MALT lymphomas and more generally for palliation, with very few, if any, side effects even when given to relatively large areas, and treatments can be repeated when necessary.