Abstract
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) International Prognostic Index (IPI) is an enhanced prognostic tool that has identified some specific extranodal sites as a poor prognostic factor. We retrospectively analyzed 148 Taiwanese patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma receiving rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP)-like regimens from January 2001 to December 2010 at the Tri-Service General Hospital. In univarate analysis, ≥ 2 extranodal involved sites had no significant prognostic relevance (p = 0.108), although extranodal involvement of the lung/pleura, liver, lower urinary tract or bone marrow was a statistically significant poor prognostic factor (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, specific extranodal sites had a stronger predictive value for poor prognosis (relative risk 3.654, 95% confidence interval 1.514–8.815, p = 0.004) compared with the number of extranodal sites involved. This finding suggests that specific extranodal involved sites have prognostic value in the R era.
Acknowledgements
We thank the Cancer Registry Group, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan for kindly collecting all patients’ information. We also thank Wen-Yen Huang, MD, for assistance with statistical techniques.
Potential conflict of interest
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