Blood Res.  2013 Jun;48(2):115-120. 10.5045/br.2013.48.2.115.

Clinical features and survival outcomes of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: analysis of web-based data from the Korean Lymphoma Working Party Registry

• Yi HG
• Kim JS
• Suh C
• Kim WS
• Kwak JY
• Lee JS
• Kim YS
• Joo YD
• Min YH
• Lee HG
• Yoon SS
• Won JH
• Park S
• Kim HC
• Kim CS

• KMID: 2172909
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5045/br.2013.48.2.115

Abstract

BACKGROUND
This study aimed to survey the clinical spectrum of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in terms of epidemiology, pathologic subtypes, stage, and prognostic index as well as treatment outcomes.
METHODS
In 2007-2008, 13 university hospitals evenly distributed in the Korean peninsula contributed to the online registry of DLBCL at www.lymphoma.or.kr and filed a total of 1,665 cases of DLBCL recorded since 1990.
RESULTS
Our analysis showed a higher prevalence of DLBCL in male than in female individuals (M:F=958:707), and extranodal disease was more common than primary nodular disease (53% vs. 47%). Among the 1,544 patients who had been treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) or rituximab-CHOP (R-CHOP) therapy with or without radiation, 993 (63.9%) were alive, with 80% free of disease, 417 were dead (26.8%), with 13% free of disease, and 144 (9.3%) were lost to follow-up, with 23% free of disease. Age below 60 years, stage at diagnosis, international prognostic index (IPI) score regardless of age, and addition of rituximab to CHOP therapy in low- and low-intermediate-risk groups according to IPI scores significantly increased survival duration.
CONCLUSION
The epidemiology, clinical spectrum, and biological behavior of DLBCL in Korea are similar to those observed in Western countries, and the advent of rituximab improved survival.

Keyword

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; Epidemiology; Survival; Rituximab; CHOP regimen

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
B-Lymphocytes
Cyclophosphamide
Doxorubicin
Female
Hospitals, University
Humans
Korea
Lost to Follow-Up
Lymphoma
Lymphoma, B-Cell
Male
Prednisolone
Prevalence
Vincristine
Rituximab
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
Cyclophosphamide
Doxorubicin
Prednisolone
Vincristine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Comparison of OS in patients treated with CHOP vs. R-CHOP stratified according to risk: low-risk group (A), low-intermediate-risk group (B), high-intermediate-risk group (C), and high-risk group (D).

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  Fig. 2 OS according to IPI (A) and aaIPI (B) scores for all patients. The log-rank P value for both indices was <0.001.

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  Fig. 3 Predictive power of the IPI (A, B) and aaIPI (C, D) scoring systems for each treatment group. The log-rank P value for both indices was <0.001. Discrimination between the high-intermediate- and high-risk groups seemed to be difficult among patients treated with CHOP.

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