Factors predicting long-term survival in low-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Abstract

The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is widely used for risk stratification of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, even among patients with low-risk disease, according to the IPI a substantial proportion of patients ultimately succumb to their disease. Using mature population-based data from the Danish Lymphoma Group, we analyzed if prognostic clinical pretreatment factors could be identified in patients with low-risk DLBCL. One hundred seventy-seven patients, all with a prognostic profile as favorable as possible according to the IPI and treated with anthracycline-based combination chemotherapy (92%) or loco-regional radiotherapy/surgery (8%) with curative intent were included. The median age was 50 years and 170 achieved complete remission. The median follow-up time was 11 years. Twenty-six patients relapsed, with a median time to relapse of 12.1 months. Overall survival at 5 years and 10 years was 85% and 75%, respectively. Stage 11 was associated with poor response to treatment (P = 0.044). In a multivariate analysis, Stage II (P = 0.001) and age >50 years (P = 0.043) were independently associated with poor outcome. Patients without these adverse factors had an excellent prognosis, with a survival at 5 and 15 years of 90% and 80%, respectively. In contrast, patients with both adverse factors had poor outcome, with survival at 5 and 15 years of 70% and 29%, respectively (P < 0.001). The present data suggest that risk stratification of DLBCL patients with a favorable IPI score can be improved by the simple use of two clinical pretreatment factors. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.