title: Subclassification of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas according to the Kiel classification: distinction of centroblastic and immunoblastic lymphomas is a significant prognostic risk factor.
abstract: Among high-grade malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas the updated Kiel classification identifies three major B-cell entities: centroblastic (CB), B-immunoblastic (B-IB), and B-large cell anaplastic (Ki-1+) (now termed anaplastic large cell [CD30+], [B-ALC]). The clinical prognostic relevance of this distinction was evaluated in a randomized prospective treatment trial (COP-BLAM/IMVP-16 regimen randomly combined +/- radiotherapy in complete responders) conducted in adult (age 15 to 75) patients with Ann Arbor stage II-IV disease (n = 219) diagnosed by optimal histomorphology (Giemsa staining) and by immunohistochemistry. Overall survival was significantly better in CB lymphoma as compared to B-IB (P = .0002) or B-ALC (P = .046). Relapse-free survival was worse for B-IB (P = .0003) as compared to CB lymphomas. The prognostic differences between CB and B-IB were confirmed by multivariate analyses including the risk factors of the International Index. Overall survival was significantly determined by performance status (P = .0003), serum-LDH (P = .036), and B-IB histology subtype (P = .036). Relapse-free survival was influenced by age (P = .007) and histological subtype (P = .007). Thus, the diagnosis of the CB and B-IB lymphomas by the histological criteria of the Kiel classification was identified as an independent prognostic factor in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hematology, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brittinger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huhn
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Gerhartz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meusers
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siegert
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wilmanns
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aydemir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bierwolf
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Griesser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiemann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lennert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015993:Life Tables; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000145:classification* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016400:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D007069:Ifosfamide; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate