title: Prognostic value of serum beta 2 microglobulin in primary gastric lymphoma.
abstract: Sixty-eight previously untreated patients with primary gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) available for analysis, were entered in a study in which the prognostic significance of serum beta 2 microglobulin levels were evaluated. The serum beta 2 microglobulin was the most significant prognostic factor. Patients with high levels (greater than 3.5 micrograms/mL) had a relapse-free survival (RFS) of 36 months, while the median RFS has not been reached in patients with normal levels (p less than 0.001). The 5-year survival was 80 per cent for patients with normal levels, statistically significant when compared to patients with high levels: 38 per cent (p less than 0.001). Serum beta 2 microglobulin should be included in the initial staging of patients with primary extranodal NHL and patients with high levels should be treated more aggressively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, National Medical Center, I.M.S.S., México, D.F.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avilés
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Díaz-Maqueo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talavera
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase