title: The prognostic impact of absolute lymphocyte and monocyte counts at diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the rituximab era.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A recent report showed that the combination of the absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and the absolute monocyte count (AMC) at diagnosis gave a prognostic score in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, this model requires validation in other patient cohorts.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated the prognostic impact of the combination of the ALC and the AMC at diagnosis in a cohort of 299 DLBCL patients who were treated in the rituximab era at a single institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In univariate analyses, an ALC ≤1.0 × 10(9)/l [4-year overall survival (OS) rate 47.0 vs. 79.4%; p < 0.001] and an AMC ≥0.63 × 10(9)/l (4-year OS rate 52.4 vs. 75.6%; p < 0.001) were associated with inferior OS, respectively. In multivariate analyses, an ALC ≤1.0 × 10(9)/l and an AMC ≥0.63 × 10(9)/l were significantly associated with inferior OS independently of the International Prognostic Index. Furthermore, the combination of ALC and AMC could identify patients with the dismal prognosis; the 4-year OS rates for patients with ALC ≤1.0 × 10(9)/l and AMC ≥0.63 × 10(9)/l were 18.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of ALC and AMC at diagnosis may be useful for the prognostic stratification of patients with DLBCL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Sumie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yonetani
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; C571759:R-CHOP protocol; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone