Lymphoma 101: The plot thickens

Abstract

Staging in lymphoma has changed significantly over time, from the Ann Arbor criteria (1971) to the Cotswolds criteria (1989) to the Lugano Classification (2011). The evolution of imaging technology has played a major role in these changes, and PET/CT is now standard for certain lymphomas, whereas chest radiographs are no longer routine. More recently, response criteria have been refined to account for possible flare reactions of immunomodulatory therapy with a provisional term called “indeterminate response.” The latest RECIL criteria use single-dimension measurements to assess response to therapy in patients with lymphoma. Finally, clinical data can be represented graphically in many ways, including the Kaplan-Meir plot, forest plot, waterfall plot, and swimmers plot. Each representation has its own strengths and limitations.