Influence of NK cell count on the survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP.
- Author:
Joong Keun KIM
1
;
Joo Seop CHUNG
;
Ho Jin SHIN
;
Moo Kon SONG
;
Ji Won YI
;
Dong Hun SHIN
;
Dae Sung LEE
;
Sung Min BAEK
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Natural killer cell coun; Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; Rituximab; Germinal center type; Non-germinal center type
- MeSH: Biomarkers; Cell Count; Cyclophosphamide; Diagnosis; Disease-Free Survival; Doxorubicin; Drug Therapy; Germinal Center; Humans; Killer Cells, Natural*; Lymphoma, B-Cell*; Multivariate Analysis; Prednisone; Vincristine; Rituximab
- From:Blood Research 2014;49(3):162-169
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND: Although adding rituximab to the chemotherapy regimen of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone (R-CHOP) has improved clinical outcomes of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), several recent studies have shown that the effect of rituximab is dominantly in the non-germinal center (non-GC) subtype compared to the germinal center (GC) subtype. Natural killer (NK) cell count, a surrogate marker of immune status, is associated with clinical outcomes in DLBCL patients in the rituximab era. We investigated whether the impact of NK cells on clinical outcomes differed according to the immunophenotype of DLBCL. METHODS: This study analyzed 72 DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP between January 2010 and January 2014. RESULTS: Low NK cell counts (<100/microL) were associated with poor progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to high NK cell counts. In multivariate analysis, low NK cell count was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS. However, survival did not significantly differ between the GC and non-GC subtypes. We examined the clinical influence of NK cells according to the immunophenotype and found that low NK cell counts were significantly associated with poor PFS and OS in non-GC cases, but not in GC cases. CONCLUSION: Low NK cell counts at diagnosis are associated with poor clinical outcomes in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP therapy. However, the impact is significant only in non-GC subtype DLBCL, not in the GC subtype.
