No abstract available.
Aged* ; Erythrocyte Indices* ; Humans ; Korea*

Marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZL) is the second most common subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Korea (17.3%). Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) can develop in almost any organ as a result of exposure to a persistent stimulus, such as chronic infection or certain autoimmune processes. Under conditions of prolonged lymphoid proliferation, a malignant clone may emerge, which is followed by the development of a MALT lymphoma. Whereas MALT lymphoma of the stomach is the most common and the most extensively studied, we focus on non-gastric MZL studies conducted in Korea that highlight the most recent advances with respect to MZL definition, etiology, clinical characteristics, natural history, treatment approaches, outcomes, and prognostic factors. Moreover, we discuss current organ-specific considerations and controversies, and identify areas for future research.
Humans ; Korea ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/*diagnosis/*therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Organ Specificity ; Prognosis ; Splenic Neoplasms/diagnosis/therapy

No abstract available.
Lymphoma*

Beta-2 microglobulin is synthesized in all nucleated cells and forms the light chain subunit of the major histocompatibility complex class I antigen. Despite its potential role as a convenient and non-invasive prognostic indicator in malignant lymphomas, the influence of serum beta2 microglobulin is currently underestimated, and therapeutic decision making is rarely affected by this marker. Recent studies that included relatively large numbers of patients with specific histologic subtypes showed that serum beta2 microglobulin is a potent prognostic marker in malignant lymphomas. In follicular lymphoma, this effort led to the incorporation of serum beta2 microglobulin as an indicator in a new prognostic model. In this review, we summarize the current evidence supporting the role of serum beta2 microglobulin as a prognostic factor in patients with malignant lymphoma and discuss perspectives for future investigations.
Decision Making ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Follicular ; Major Histocompatibility Complex

BACKGROUND: The International Prognostic Index (IPI) has been a useful tool for predicting the prognosis of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the last 20 years. Herein, we aimed to develop a new prognostic model for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the rituximab era. METHODS: Between March 2004 and June 2012, patients with DLBCL treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone chemotherapy regimen were identified in the database of the Asan Medical Center (AMC) Lymphoma Registry. The primary and secondary endpoints were a new prognostic index for DLBCL and validation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index in our cohort, respectively. RESULTS: The AMC cohort comprised 621 patients. The median follow-up duration was 43.3 months (range, 6.2–122.5 mo). Univariate analysis revealed that age (≤60 vs. >60 yr), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; within normal vs. increased), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS; 0 or 1 vs. ≥2), advanced stage (Ann Arbor stage I/II vs. III/IV), extra-nodal involvement (≤1 vs. >1), B symptoms (no vs. yes), and beta-2 microglobulin (β2MG, ≤2.5 vs. >2.5) can be used to predict overall survival (OS). In multivariate analysis, only age, LDH, ECOG performance status, and β2MG were significantly associated with OS, and we developed a new prognostic model with these 4 factors. The new prognostic model showed better discriminative power compared with the classic IPI. CONCLUSION: Our new prognostic index model for DLBCL in the rituximab era has good discriminative power and is convenient to use.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cohort Studies ; Cyclophosphamide ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prednisolone ; Prognosis ; Rituximab* ; Vincristine

BACKGROUND: The incidence of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) is lower in Asian than in Western populations. Few studies have described the clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients with LPL, including non-IgM LPL, in East Asia. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with LPL at Asan Medical Center between January 2001 and March 2016. We evaluated the clinical features and survival outcomes of patients with LPL and non-IgM LPL and compared these data with those of patients with LPL/Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis of patients with LPL was 61.5 years (range, 34–77 yr); most patients were male (91%). Approximately three-quarters of the 22 patients with LPL were in the low or intermediate risk groups according to the International Prognostic Scoring System for Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia classification. The median follow-up duration was 75 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 48–102 mo], and the median overall survival (OS) was 81 months (95% CI, 0–167 mo). The number of patients in the non-IgM LPL group who exhibited extramedullary involvement was higher than in the LPL/WM group. OS of the LPL/WM group was improved compared with that of the non-IgM LPL group [median not reached vs. 10.0 mo (95% CI, 0–36.7); P=0.05]. CONCLUSION: We present a single-center experience of 22 patients with LPL, including a non-IgM cohort, in Korea. The treatment of non-IgM LPL was heterogeneous, and patients with non-IgM LPL showed a higher 5-year mortality rate and more adverse prognostic factors than those with LPL/WM.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Classification ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Far East ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea* ; Lymphoma* ; Male ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in Koreans is frequently accompanied by extranodal (EN) disease at the time of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We sought to determine whether high EN involvement affected survival following ASCT in Koreans. METHODS: We reviewed 27 patients who had DLBCL with residual disease at ASCT: 13 with residual disease at nodal site(s) only and 14 with nodal and EN disease. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that disease status, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and performance status at ASCT were predictors of survival following ASCT. The number of EN sites, as categorized by the International Prognostic Index system, had no prognostic significance. When EN involvement at ASCT was classified as negative or positive, the 2-year overall survival for the negative group was 64%, significantly better than the 14% for the positive group (p=0.021), and the event-free survival for the negative group was 62%, significantly better than the 14% for the positive group (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had DLBCL with residual EN involvement at ASCT showed worse outcomes following ASCT compared to those without EN disease.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/mortality/*pathology/*therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Retrospective Studies ; *Stem Cell Transplantation ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

The Consortium for Improving Survival of Lymphoma (CISL) in Korean Society of Hematology Lymphoma Working Party had first meeting in February, 2006 with 10 institutions and 12 members. Now CISL comprised of 64 centers. CISL has concentrated research activity on lymphomas which are relatively frequent in Korea and has tried to give favors for the Korean lymphoma patients. CISL has conducted more than 30 retrospective studies to evaluate Korean peculiar lymphoma subtypes. More than 30 prospective trials have been being performed for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, and so on. The first prospective trial for advanced marginal zone lymphoma has led to use Rituximab containing chemotherapy with the re-imbursement of health insurance in Korea. The multi-center trials of the CISL with new therapeutic modalities will improve further the survival of lymphoma patients not only quantitatively but also qualitatively.
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Hematology ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Korea ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Rituximab

The gastrointestinal tract is the most common primary extranodal site for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, there is no consensus on the most appropriate staging system for intestinal DLBCL. We evaluated the utility of the modified Ann Arbor system, the Lugano system, and the Paris staging system (a modification of the Tumor, Node, Metastases [TNM] staging for epithelial tumors) in 66 cases of resected intestinal DLBCL. The cases were treated with surgery, plus either cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP) chemotherapy alone (n=26) or with the addition of rituximab immunotherapy (n=40). Median follow-up time was 40.4 months (range, 2.1-171.6 months). Fifty-six patients (84.8%) achieved complete remission. The overall 5-yr survival rate was 86.4% (57/66). Of the stage categories defined for each staging system, only the T stage of the Paris classification showed prognostic significance for overall survival by univariate analysis. However, none of the stage parameters was significantly correlated with patient survival on multivariate analysis. In conclusion, the results suggest that the T stage of the Paris classification system may be a prognostic indicator in intestinal DLBCL. The results also imply that in surgically resected intestinal DLBCL, the addition of rituximab to the CHOP regimen does not confer significant survival advantage.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use ; Cyclophosphamide/therapeutic use ; Doxorubicin/therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use ; Intestinal Neoplasms/*classification/drug therapy/mortality/surgery ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/*classification/drug therapy/mortality/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging/*methods ; Prednisone/therapeutic use ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Vincristine/therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders associated with immunosuppression and Epstein-Barr virus infection. PTLD is classified into three major categories: early lesions, polymorphic PTLD, and monomorphic PTLD. The majority of monomorphic PTLD cases are non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B-cell origin. This retrospective study was conducted to investigate the incidence, clinical manifestation, treatment, and outcomes of monomorphic PTLD among 5,817 recipients of solid organ or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from five institutions. Fourteen patients with monomorphic PTLD were identified (male:female 11:3; median age 42.6 yr, range 24-60). The overall incidence rate was 0.24%. The most common disease type was diffuse large B cell lymphoma (n=7). The median time between the transplant and diagnosis of PTLD was 85.8 months. However, all cases of PTLD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation occurred within 1 yr after transplantation. Ten of the 14 patients had EBV-positive tumor. Fourteen patients received combination systemic chemotherapy and four patients were treated with radiation therapy. Ten patients achieved a complete response (CR) and two patients a partial response (PR). The median follow-up period for surviving patients was 36.6 months. Nine patients remain alive (eight CR, one PR). Nine of 11 solid organ transplantations preserved graft function. The present study indicates a lower incidence rate and a longer median time before the development of PTLD than those of previous reports. Careful monitoring was needed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for PTLD.
Adult ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/complications/immunology ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders/classification/etiology/immunology/*physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Transplantation, Homologous/*adverse effects/immunology ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult