Serum BAFF predicts prognosis better than APRIL in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with rituximab plus CHOP chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
B-cell activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) regulate survival and proliferation of B cells. Thus the association of elevated serum levels of BAFF and APRIL with worse prognosis has been suggested in B-cell lymphoid malignancies. However, the prognostic relevance of BAFF and APRIL is unknown in patients treated with rituximab, a monoclonal antibody targeting B-cell depletion.


METHODS
We measured serum levels of BAFF and APRIL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 66 patients newly diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). All patients were treated with rituximab-CHOP chemotherapy.


RESULTS
The mean (+/-standard deviation) serum level of BAFF (1 970.21 +/- 1 979.45 pg/mL) was higher in DLBCL than in controls (861.03 +/- 194.92 pg/mL, Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.001). When the patients were dichotomized into high and low BAFF group based on the median value (1 258.00 pg/mL), high BAFF group had less numbers of complete responders to rituximab-CHOP, and more relapses or progression after or during treatment. In multivariate analysis, serum BAFF was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and progression-free survival (P < 0.05). Although serum levels of APRIL was also higher than controls (10.60 +/- 19.08 ng/mL vs. 1.10 +/- 0.30 ng/mL, P = 0.023), it failed to show prognostic significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum BAFF may be a useful indicator predicting prognosis in DLBCL patients treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy.
Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Korea.
Seok Jin
SJ
Kim
Seung Jin
SJ
Lee
In Young
IY
Choi
Yong
Y
Park
Chul Won
CW
Choi
In Sun
IS
Kim
Woosung
W
Yu
Hee Sang
HS
Hwang
Byung Soo
BS
Kim
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D000069283:Rituximab; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000097:blood*; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; C114631:TNFSF13 protein, human; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone