RESUMO
An early discrimination of survival probability is required for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which may identify patients that require other treatment options, for example clinical trials. To the best of our knowledge, the impact of interim evaluation with 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has not yet been determined in this type of neoplasia. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of changes in metabolic tumor volume (MTV) between baseline and interim 18F-FDG PET/CT scans, following three courses of chemotherapy in order to predict complete response (CR) and overall survival (OS) in patients with DLBCL. Patients with previously untreated DLBCL who had received the standard 6-8 cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone were included in the present study. A predictive model was constructed using changes in MTV and other clinical factors including age, gender, East Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status, clinical stage, B symptoms, the presence of bulky disease and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels, and data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. In total, 50 patients with DLBCL were included in the present study. The majority of patients presented with stage III/IV disease (64%), B symptoms (72%) and bulky disease (58%). According to the International Prognostic Index score, 44% of patients were in the intermediate-high or high-risk categories for risk of relapse, and therefore considered to have poor prognosis. In total, ≥94% of patients achieving a decrease in total MTV had a 2-year OS rate of 95%, compared with the 58% OS rate of those with a suboptimal response. A multivariate model, including a change in MTV (a decrease of ≥94%), the ECOG performance status ≥2, a change in leukocyte counts and age, was used to predict CR. This model was used to define two groups according to the predicted probability of recurrence (cutoff, 0.69). The 2-year survival rates of the two groups were 95 and 59%, respectively. Analysis of changes in MTV in the interim 18F-FDG PET/CT revealed significant prognostic value for the prediction of CR and OS in patients with DLBCL.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Available prognosis scores for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) included a limited number of patients ≥ 65 years of age, and most of them did not include comorbidities. Here, we propose a prognostic score for overall survival (OS) for this group of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients ≥ 65 years with DLBCL treated at a single national reference center were included. Clinical features including comorbidities and biochemical parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: We included 141 patients. Response rate in the whole group was 77%. Based on multivariate analysis, the presence of the European Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) > 2, elevated levels of beta-2 microglobulin, bulky disease, and anemia (hemoglobin < 10 g/dL) had a significant effect on OS. These parameters were considered when computing the prognostic score, which identified three groups with differential survival: Low, intermediate, and high risk of death, with a probability of survival at 60 months of 80.05%, 55.5%, and 29.84%, respectively. DISCUSSION: This score may select patients to optimize treatment. The presence of high levels of beta-2 microglobulin, bulky disease, and hemoglobin < 10 g/dL, and ECOG > 2 was associated with poor OS in elderly patients with DLBCL.