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This study aimed at evaluating the role of routine imaging versus symptom-directed unplanned early outpatient department (OPD) visits in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in complete remission (CR) by analyzing the patterns and outcomes of OPD visits for disease monitoring. Patients with DLBCL in CR after treatment in the rituximab era with any OPD monitoring visit were analyzed. A total of 856 OPD visits were recorded: 501 visits were with routine imaging, 322 were without routine imaging and 33 visits (3.9%) were unplanned early visits due to abnormal symptoms. Of the 106 analyzed patients, 15 experienced a relapse (median follow-up duration of 38.1 months). Routine imaging showed an unsatisfactory positive predictive value due to frequent false-positive visits, and a substantial number of patients with false-positive imaging underwent unnecessary biopsies or additional scans. Compared with planned OPD visits, unplanned early visits were highly related to relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate risk factors for infusion-related reaction (IRR) following rituximab administration in patients with B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with newly diagnosed B cell lymphoma who have received rituximab-included immunochemotherapy with appropriate premedication and commonly used schedule of infusion rate. IRRs were graded by review of the patients' electronic medical record according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. Results: One hundred and sixty-nine patients were included in the analysis and most of the patients (150; 88.8 %) had diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Thirty-six patients (21.3 %) had any grade of IRRs: 23 patients were grade (G) 1 (13.6 %), 13 had ≥G2 IRRs (7.7 %), and only 4 had ≥G3 IRRs (2.4 %). All except one patient had IRR during the first cycle and only two had repetitive IRR thereafter. Bone marrow (BM) involvement was the strongest risk factor for IRR in multivariable analysis (odds ratio 4.06, 95 % confidence interval 1.67-9.89; p = 0.002). A subgroup analysis confined to patients with DLBCL showed very similar results when compared with the entire population, and patients with DLBCL who had ≥G2 IRR showed shorter event-free and overall survival when compared to those who did not. Conclusions: BM involvement is predictive of occurrence of IRR during rituximab administration in patients with B cell lymphoma. More intensive premedication and careful observation for IRR during rituximab administration are required for patients with B cell lymphoma who have BM involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate prognostic value of CD99 expression in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who underwent treatment with rituximab-CHOP immunochemotherapy, immunohistochemistry for CD99/CD10/BCL-2/BCL-6/MUM-1 was performed on nodal DLBCL specimens from 70 patients. Patients were classified as either germinal center B-cell (GCB) subtype or non-GCB subtype according to the Muris algorithm. A superior 2-year event-free survival (EFS) was observed in patients with the GCB subgroup, compared to those with the non-GCB subgroup ( p = 0.034). The distribution of CD99 expression (29 patients; 41.4 %) did not show deviation according to subtype and was not prognostic for survival in the entire patient population. Among patients with the GCB subgroup, better EFS and overall survival (OS) were observed in CD99+ patients, compared to CD99− patients. Conversely, among patients with the non-GCB subgroup, inferior EFS and OS were reported in CD99+ patients. Superior 2-year EFS ( p = 0.004) and 2-year OS ( p = 0.003) were observed in patients with GCB/CD99+ and non-GCB/CD99− compared to the others, and the combination classification was found to be an independent prognostic factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between histopathologic characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with rituximab-based immunochemotherapy needs re-evaluation. Patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP) were evaluated with respect to clinical characteristics, treatment efficacy, and survival. Immunohistochemistry of bcl-2, CD10, bcl-6, and MUM-1 was performed and patients were sub-classified as germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) or non-GCB type according to the Hans algorithm. There was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between patients with GCB and those with non-GCB. Although there was no significant difference in OS between high-intermediate and high risk groups as classified by the standard International Prognostic Index (IPI; p == 0.50), all three groups with the revised IPI had a clear-cut separation for event-free survival and OS. The revised IPI better predicted survival than did the standard IPI in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP. The Hans classification had no prognostic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the MALT type (P-MZL) is a relatively rare form of lymphoma. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical features and treatment outcomes of P-MZL for the evaluation of prognostic factors, and to collect information about the optimal treatment modality for this condition. From 1991 to 2008, a total of 61 patients with biopsy-confirmed P-MZL were retrospectively analyzed. The median age of our subjects was 60 (range, 34-79) years. Twenty-five of the patients (41%) were initially diagnosed without any symptoms. Video-assisted thoracic surgery was utilized for diagnosis in 19 patients (31%). Thirty-eight patients' conditions (62%) involved a single lobe. Lung lesions were bilateral in 15 patients (25%). Eleven patients evidenced synchronous involvement of extra-pulmonary site MZL. Overall, 56 of 61 patients were treated with surgery ( n = 22), chemotherapy ( n = 28), or radiotherapy ( n = 6). Among them, 46 patients achieved complete or partial remission. The median time to progression (TTP) was 5.6 (95% CI, 2.6-8.6) years. Five patients died during follow-up. Extra-pulmonary MZL and LN involvement were shown to be poor prognostic factors for TTP. We noted no differences between the operation group and chemotherapy group in terms of TTP. P-MZL tends to be an indolent disease-characterized by prolonged survival with frequent relapses. This is similar to what is observed with other cases of MALT-type site MZL. In order to conserve lung function and reduce the risks of operation, chemotherapy should be considered as a first-line option for the treatment of P-MZL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]