Prognostic impact of immunohistochemically defined germinal center phenotype in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy.

Germinal center (GC) and non-GC phenotypes are predictors of outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and can be used to stratify chemotherapy-treated patients into low- and high-risk groups. To determine how combination of rituximab with chemotherapy influences GC-associated clinical outcome, GC and non-GC phenotypes were identified immunohistochemically from samples of 90 de novo DLBCL patients treated with rituximab in combination with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone)-like regimen (immunochemotherapy). One hundred and four patients previously treated with chemotherapy served as a control group.

Outcome for young high-risk aggressive B-cell lymphoma patients treated with CHOEP-14 and rituximab (R-CHOEP-14).

Purpose: To study the effectiveness and tolerability of a dose-intensified treatment including rituximab for patients, not older than 65 yr, with high-risk aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

Patients: Thirty-eight patients with high-risk aggressive B-cell lymphoma, the majority classified as grade 2 or 3 using age-adjusted International Prognostic Index, were treated with six courses of CHOEP + rituximab on a 2-wk schedule with G-CSF d 4-11. CNS prophylaxis was administered using intravenous Ara-C as a single dose at the end of treatment.