Clinical and Hematological Predictors of Response to First-Line Therapy in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract

Aim. To assess the prognostic value of clinical and hematological parameters used by hematologists for risk stratification in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and to justify the need for discovering new prognostic factors. Methods. The trial included 101 patients (48 men and 53 women) with newly diagnosed DLBCL at the age of 18-80 years (median age 58 years). The patients received R-CHOP as first-line therapy. Depending on their response all patients were stratified into 4 groups: with complete response (CR; n = 58), partial response (PR; n = 15), resistance to first-line therapy (n = 19), and early relapses (ER; n = 9). Median follow-up was 22 months (range 2-120 months). Results. In terms of age influence on the efficacy of R-СНОР as first-line therapy no significant differences were established in regard to response in patients younger and older than 65 years. Statistically significant differences were observed while analyzing two parameters of International Prognostic Index (IPI; disease stage and extranodal lesions) and B-symptoms in the CR and therapy-resistant groups. With respect to the same parameters no significant differences were found in the CR and ER groups. Median 2-year disease-free survival was not achieved in patients with CR. In patients with PR it was 12 months. Median 2-year overall survival in patients with CR, PR, and ER was not achieved, and in patients with therapy-resistant DLBCL it was 10 months. Conclusion. Results of the trial confirm prognostic value of factors applied for risk stratification in DLBCL. However, variability of clinical course of the disease, especially with a low IPI score, suggests the need for new prognostic parameters associated with the course of DLBCL.