OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of splenic marginal zone lymploma (SMZL).

METHODSA total of 91 cases of SMZL admitted in our hospital from January 2002 to March 2013 were enrolled in this study. The clinical characteristics and immunophenotypes were summarized, and the clinical therapeute response and prognostic factors were analyzed statistically.

RESULTSThe median age of 91 patients was 56 (28-79); all the patients displayed splenomegaly with 73.6% of large spleen, hepatomegaly (14.6%) and lymphadenophathy (28.2%); the bone marrow involvement was observed in 98.9% patients, the B symptom was found in 47.1% patients. The positive expression of CD20 was observed in 100% patients, the positive expression of CD5 was in 8.3% patients, the positive expression of CD23 was found in 47.6% patients, no specific antigen was observed by now for SMZL. The clinical treatment showed that total ORR was 87.7%, CRR was 53.8% in chemotherapy group, chemotherapy combined with rituximab showed a better response than that of chemotherapy alone, which ORR was 100%, CRR was 72.4%, the difference between them was statistically significant. The Hb < 120 g/L, elevated LDH level and treatment without rituximab were the poor prognostic factors for PFS, while the elevated LDH level was related with OS of patients.

CONCLUSIONThe patients with SMZL often display splenomegaly, involvement in bone marrow and absence of specific immunophenotypes. Chemotherapy combined with rituximab can definitely improve the outcome of SMZL. The Hb level, LDH level and treatment combined with or without rituximab seem to be related to the prognosis of the disease.