title: Pretransplantation positron emission tomography scan is the main predictor of autologous stem cell transplantation outcome in aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data exist about the role of second-line chemotherapy response assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) as a prognostic factor in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The objective of this analysis was to investigate the main determinants of prognosis in patients with aggressive B-cell NHL who undergo ASCT, focusing on the impact of pretransplantation PET, secondary age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (sAA-IPI) score, histology, and previous response to first-line chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients with diffuse, large B-cell lymphoma or grade 3 follicular lymphoma who were treated at the author' institution with second-line chemotherapy (combined ifosfamide, etoposide, and epirubicin [IEV]) followed by ASCT between September 2002 and September 2006 were included. All patients were evaluated by PET after 1 to 3 courses of IEV chemotherapy before ASCT, and all patients received a conditioning regimen of combined carmustine, etoposide, cytosine arabinoside, and melphalan. The prognostic impact of pretransplantation PET, sAA-IPI score, histology, and previous response to first-line chemotherapy was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-two of 75 patients underwent ASCT. In a univariate analysis for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), a significant association was observed with pretransplantation PET (PFS, P< .00001; OS, P< .01) and previous first-line response (PFS, P= .02; OS, P= .04). In the multivariate framework, pretransplantation PET was identified as the only independent prognostic factor (PFS, P< .001; OS, P= .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current data indicated that pretransplantation PET is the main prognostic predictor in patients with aggressive B-cell NHL who are scheduled for ASCT.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology L. & A. Seràgnoli, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. enrico.derenzini@libero.it
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Derenzini
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musuraca
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanti
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefoni
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Lapo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alinari
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baccarani
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zinzani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D003561:Cytarabine; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008558:Melphalan; D002330:Carmustine; D007069:Ifosfamide