OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of the patients with plasmablastic lymphoma(PBL).

METHODSThe clinical and pathological data of 21 patients with PBL diagnosed and treated in our center between January 2009 and September 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical and pathological features, treatment and therapentic outcome were summarized and the high risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients were investigated.

RESULTSThe 21 PBL patients included 12 males and 9 females, and their median age was 52 years old. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was negative in all patients. The primary involved sites of 16 patients were extranodal, and the patients staged in III-IV accounted for 81%; 18 patients receved first-line chemotherapy with standard CHOP(E) (cyclophosphamide +epirubicin +vincristine +prednisone±etoposide). After treatment, only 1 patient achieved complete response (CR), and 8 patients achieved partial response (PR). The median overall survival time was 6.3 months. Multivariate analysis showed the America Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) physical score and bone marrow infiltration were significant prognostic factors (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPlasmablastic lymphoma frequently occurrs in the middle-old aged persons with all HIV negative. Primary extranodal lesions are frequent. Most patients were in advanced stage with poor treatment response. ECOG score≥2 and bone marrow infiltration are independent prognostic factors related with worse prognosis.