T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma. Analysis of clinical features, response to treatment, survival and comparison with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical features, response to treatment and survival of T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma (TCRBCL) patients were compared to those of a similar group of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).


METHODS
Between 1992 and 1999, 10 patients with a diagnosis of TCRBCL were treated in our department. Over the same 7-year period, a group of 65 patients with DLBCL were diagnosed in the same department. Both groups of patients were treated with the same anthracycline-based chemotherapy.


RESULTS
A significantly higher percentage of patients with TCRBCL presented with B-symptoms, elevated LDH, bone marrow infiltration and disseminated extranodal involvement compared to patients with DLBCL. TCRBCL patients responded poorly to combination chemotherapy, since only 3 of them achieved complete remission (33%) compared to 48 (75%) patients with DLBCL. All patients with TCRBCL who achieved complete response relapsed within the first 2 years while 65% of patients with DLBCL survive disease free for a median follow-up period of 4 years. The median overall survival for DLBCL patients has not been reached yet, while it was 18 months for TCRBCL patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the number of patients in our study is small, it seems that patients with TCRBCL present with advanced disease, respond poorly to chemotherapy and display a short disease-free and overall survival compared to patients with DLBCL.
Tsirigotis
P
P
Second Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, Athens University, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Economopoulos
T
T
Rontogianni
D
D
Dervenoulas
J
J
Papageorgiou
E
E
Bollas
G
G
Mantzios
G
G
Kalantzis
D
D
Koumarianou
A
A
Raptis
S
S
D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D015251:Epirubicin; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D011241:Prednisone