title: Management of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Asia: resource-stratified guidelines.
abstract: Treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas has undergone substantial developments in the past 10 years. The introduction of rituximab has greatly improved survival outcomes in patients. Clinical practice guidelines based on current evidence have been developed to provide recommendations for standard treatment approaches. However, guidelines do not take into account resource limitations in resource-poor countries. The huge disparities in economy, health-care infrastructure, and access to novel drugs between Asian countries can hinder the delivery of optimum care to patients with lymphoma in Asia. We outline guidelines appropriate to different levels of health-care resources and expertise, aiming to provide advice on diagnosis and treatment, unify interpretation of results, and allow the design of future studies in Asia. In this resource-adapted consensus, we summarise recommendations for diagnosis, staging, risk stratification, and treatment of common B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas in Asia.
authors.affiliation: Raffles Cancer Center, Raffles Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: tan_daryl@rafflesmedical.com.
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Soo Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Soon Thye
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won-Seog
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ranjana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Advani
authors.forename: Yok-Lam
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwong
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000592:standards; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome