title: The prognostic significance of elevated levels of serum ferritin before chemotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated levels of serum ferritin have been documented to be an adverse prognostic factor in patients with hematologic malignancies undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The purpose of this study was to estimate the correlation between elevated levels of serum ferritin and survival outcomes in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 267 patients who were newly diagnosed with NHL and who received chemotherapy between September 1999 and April 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate analysis, other chemotherapy regimens excluding CHOP-like chemotherapy regimens (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, prednisolone) and RCHOP (rituximab plus CHOP), a high level of β2-microglobulin, a high-intermediate/high risk according to the international prognostic index (IPI), and elevated levels of serum ferritin were all significant independent prognostic factors for 5-year progression-free survival rates. RCHOP and other chemotherapy regimens, a high level of β2-microglobulin, a high-intermediate/high IPI risk, and high levels of serum ferritin were significant independent prognostic factors for 5-year overall survival rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated levels of serum ferritin of 500 ng/mL or more as well as the use of chemotherapy regimens besides CHOP-like or RCHOP, a high-intermediate/high risk IPI, and a high level of beta2-microglobulin in NHL may be an important marker for predicting poor survival outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea. Electronic address: hs3667@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Ho Sup
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Lee Chun
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Byeong Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yang Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Chemotherapy; Ferritin; Lymphoma; Prognosis; Survival