title: [Clinical characteristics and prognosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical characteristics of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and the factors affecting its prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1994 to 2002, 138 patients with DLBCL were confirmed by morphological and immunohistochemical examination. Sex, age, clinical stage, performance status (PS), serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), number of extranodal lesions, treatment response, cycles of chemotherapy, B symptom, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), 5-year survival rate and median survival time (mST) were included as the analysis indeces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lymph nodes were involved in 87.7% of the patients, and extranodal lesions were found in 60.1%. Five-year survival rate was 41.3% for the entire group. Age, stage, PS, serum LDH, number of extranodal lesions, international prognostic index (IPI) and remission rates were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) and mST (P < 0.05), However, sex, chemotherapy cycles, B symptom, ESR were not related to OS and mST (P > 0.05). Age, stage, remission rates were identified as independent factors affecting the prognosis. Combination of surgery and chemotherapy was quite impressive in the prolongation of survival of patients with extranodal lesions and gastrointestinal lymphoma compared to those by chemotherapy alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age, stage, PS, serum LDH, number of extranodal lesions, IPI, chemotherapy cycles and remission rates are significant factors affecting the prognosis in DLBCL patients. Age less than 40 years or >/= 65 years, Stage III-IV, partial remission or progressive disease are demonstrated as poor prognostic factors. Combined treatment is the strategy suggested for DLBCL patients with extranodal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Lymphoma and Hematology, Cancer Hospital, Beijing University, Beijing 100036, China. gaoyp@vip.sina.com
authors.forename: Bo-yan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei-ben
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yun-tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-pei
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Song-niang
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D011241:Prednisone