title: Diagnosis and treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequently-occurring type of malignant lymphoma in the Western world. It has an aggressive natural history, with a median survival of less than one year if left untreated. Immunochemotherapy regimens, consisting of the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab typically in combination with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP), are currently the treatment backbone. Despite remarkable progress in improving patient survival, clinical outcomes are still unsatisfactory for certain subsets of patients, including the elderly and very elderly and those with highly aggressive disease. This review outlines some of the current treatment strategies for DLBCL and discusses the main issues that affect clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology and Haematology, Cantonal Hospital of Graubuenden, Loestrasse 170, Chur, Switezrland. ulrich.mey@ksgr.ch
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mey
authors.forename: Felicitas
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hitz
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lohri
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pederiva
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taverna
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzankov
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yeow
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renner
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents