Background/Aims: In Korea, the incidence of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSL) is increasing and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has improved the survival of younger patients. We explored our real-world experience with PCNSL at Asan Medical Center (AMC). Methods: We used the AMC lymphoma registry to collect patient data prospectively. We analyzed 279 patients diagnosed from 2002 until August 2019. Results: The PCNSL incidence at AMC increased progressively and comprised 7.4-8.9% of new non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients annually during the most recent 4 years. The median age was 60 years (range, 17-85) and males comprised 55%. Patients under 65 years of age (n = 183) had no significant differences in characteristics compared to those aged 65 years or over, with the exception of less occipital lobe involvement and lower beta-2 microglobulin levels. Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV) combination induction had the best overall response, of 95%. The median overall survival was 3.8 years with 5- and 10-year survival rates of 41.5% and 30.2%, respectively. Survival was better in younger patients and those treated with ASCT. Thiotepa, busulfan, and cytoxan (TBC) conditioning chemotherapy had better survival than other combinations. The International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic score systems were valid in this cohort. Age and performance status were independent prognostic factors. Exclusive extra-central nervous system failure occurred in six patients (5.6%) among 107 failures. Conclusions The incidence of PCNSL is rising. R-MPV induction therapy followed by ASCT with TBC has improved the survival of young, fit PCNSL patients.

Background/Aims: In Korea, the incidence of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSL) is increasing and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has improved the survival of younger patients. We explored our real-world experience with PCNSL at Asan Medical Center (AMC). Methods: We used the AMC lymphoma registry to collect patient data prospectively. We analyzed 279 patients diagnosed from 2002 until August 2019. Results: The PCNSL incidence at AMC increased progressively and comprised 7.4-8.9% of new non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients annually during the most recent 4 years. The median age was 60 years (range, 17-85) and males comprised 55%. Patients under 65 years of age (n = 183) had no significant differences in characteristics compared to those aged 65 years or over, with the exception of less occipital lobe involvement and lower beta-2 microglobulin levels. Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV) combination induction had the best overall response, of 95%. The median overall survival was 3.8 years with 5- and 10-year survival rates of 41.5% and 30.2%, respectively. Survival was better in younger patients and those treated with ASCT. Thiotepa, busulfan, and cytoxan (TBC) conditioning chemotherapy had better survival than other combinations. The International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic score systems were valid in this cohort. Age and performance status were independent prognostic factors. Exclusive extra-central nervous system failure occurred in six patients (5.6%) among 107 failures. Conclusions The incidence of PCNSL is rising. R-MPV induction therapy followed by ASCT with TBC has improved the survival of young, fit PCNSL patients.

Background/Aims: In Korea, the incidence of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSL) is increasing and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has improved the survival of younger patients. We explored our real-world experience with PCNSL at Asan Medical Center (AMC). Methods: We used the AMC lymphoma registry to collect patient data prospectively. We analyzed 279 patients diagnosed from 2002 until August 2019. Results: The PCNSL incidence at AMC increased progressively and comprised 7.4-8.9% of new non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients annually during the most recent 4 years. The median age was 60 years (range, 17-85) and males comprised 55%. Patients under 65 years of age (n = 183) had no significant differences in characteristics compared to those aged 65 years or over, with the exception of less occipital lobe involvement and lower beta-2 microglobulin levels. Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV) combination induction had the best overall response, of 95%. The median overall survival was 3.8 years with 5- and 10-year survival rates of 41.5% and 30.2%, respectively. Survival was better in younger patients and those treated with ASCT. Thiotepa, busulfan, and cytoxan (TBC) conditioning chemotherapy had better survival than other combinations. The International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic score systems were valid in this cohort. Age and performance status were independent prognostic factors. Exclusive extra-central nervous system failure occurred in six patients (5.6%) among 107 failures. Conclusions The incidence of PCNSL is rising. R-MPV induction therapy followed by ASCT with TBC has improved the survival of young, fit PCNSL patients.

Background/Aims: In Korea, the incidence of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system (PCNSL) is increasing and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has improved the survival of younger patients. We explored our real-world experience with PCNSL at Asan Medical Center (AMC). Methods: We used the AMC lymphoma registry to collect patient data prospectively. We analyzed 279 patients diagnosed from 2002 until August 2019. Results: The PCNSL incidence at AMC increased progressively and comprised 7.4-8.9% of new non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients annually during the most recent 4 years. The median age was 60 years (range, 17-85) and males comprised 55%. Patients under 65 years of age (n = 183) had no significant differences in characteristics compared to those aged 65 years or over, with the exception of less occipital lobe involvement and lower beta-2 microglobulin levels. Rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine (R-MPV) combination induction had the best overall response, of 95%. The median overall survival was 3.8 years with 5- and 10-year survival rates of 41.5% and 30.2%, respectively. Survival was better in younger patients and those treated with ASCT. Thiotepa, busulfan, and cytoxan (TBC) conditioning chemotherapy had better survival than other combinations. The International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic score systems were valid in this cohort. Age and performance status were independent prognostic factors. Exclusive extra-central nervous system failure occurred in six patients (5.6%) among 107 failures. Conclusions The incidence of PCNSL is rising. R-MPV induction therapy followed by ASCT with TBC has improved the survival of young, fit PCNSL patients.

Purpose: We conducted a nationwide, multicenter, prospective registry study for newly diagnosed patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) to better define the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, survival outcomes, and the role of upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in these patients. Materials and Methods: Patients with PTCL receiving chemotherapy with curative intent were registered and prospectively monitored. All patients were pathologically diagnosed with PTCL. Results: A total of 191 patients with PTCL were enrolled in this prospective registry study. PTCL, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) was the most common pathologic subtype (n=80, 41.9%), followed by angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) (n=60, 31.4%). With a median follow-up duration of 3.9 years, the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 39.5% and 60.4%, respectively. The role of upfront ASCT was evaluated in patients who were considered transplant-eligible (n=59). ASCT was performed as an upfront consolidative treatment in 32 (54.2%) of these patients. There were no significant differences in PFS and OS between the ASCT and non-ASCT groups for all patients (n=59) and for patients with PTCL-NOS (n=26). However, in patients with AITL, the ASCT group was associated with significantly better PFS than the non-ASCT group, although there was no significant difference in OS. Conclusion The current study demonstrated that the survival outcomes with the current treatment options remain poor for patients with PTCL-NOS. Upfront ASCT may provide a survival benefit for patients with AITL, but not PTCL-NOS.

Purpose: Prognostic Index for Natural Killer Lymphoma (PINK) is the most widely accepted prognostic model for patients withextranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) treated with non-anthracycline–based therapy. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of serum β-2 microglobulin (β2M) in the context of PINK and proposed a new prognostic model. Materials and Methods: A total of 138 patients who were newly diagnosed with ENKTL and treated with non-anthracycline-based chemotherapy were identified. The cut-off value of high serum β2M was calculated by maximal-chi square methods (4.1 mg/L). A new prognostic model incorporating serum β2M into PINK was proposed and validated in an independent validation cohort (n=88). Results: The patients’ median age was 53.5 years (range, 19 to 80 years). Patients with high serum β2M levels had significantly worse overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). In multivariate analysis, high serum β2M was an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS. A new PINK-B (Prognostic Index for Natural Killer Lymphoma-serum β-2 microglobulin) model stratifiedpatients into three groups with distinct OS and PFS in the training cohort (3-year OS, 84.1% [95% confidence interval, 75.1 to 94.2], 46.8% [36.1 to 60.8] and 17.6% [6.3 to 49.2] for the low-, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively; 3-year PFS, 70.6% [59.4 to 83.8], 35.9% [25.9 to 49.8], and 7.35% [1.1 to 46.7] for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively). The PINK-B model was further validated in an independent cohort. Conclusion Serum β2M is an independent prognostic factor for ENKTL patients. The new serum β2M-based prognostic model may be useful for identifying ultra-high-risk patients, and it can easily be adopted into daily clinical practice.

Background/Aims: The incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) in Korea is rapidly increasing. The diagnostic criteria of MM have been updated and novel therapeutic agents are available. This study explored the features of MM patients registered at Asan Medical Center (AMC) and the outcomes over the past 15 years. Methods: Data were obtained from the AMC MM registry, which has been collecting the data of MM patients prospectively. The 774 MM patients included in our analysis were diagnosed from 2003, when thalidomide became available as a novel therapeutic agent, until April 2019. The 2-year survival rate of these patients was assessed. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were older or younger than 65 years, which is the cutoff age for the indication of autologous stem cell transplantation. Patients were also grouped according to the year of diagnosis: up to 2006, when bortezomib became available, and up to 2010, when the cost of lenalidomide was reimbursed. Results: Patients < 65 years of age had better prognostic features, including a better performance, less advanced disease stage, and fewer abnormalities in their fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) analysis results. A comparison of our Korean patients with patients registered in the Myeloma Related Disorder Registry data of Australia and New Zealand, showed ethnic discrepancies. The median overall survival of all patients was 3.7 years, with a 5-year survival rate of 41.8% and a 10-year survival rate of 23.4%. Survival progressively improved in patients diagnosed later. Age, performance status, renal function, C-reactive protein level, lactate dehydrogenase level, and cytogenetic findings were identified as significant prognostic factors. Conclusions This real-world survey revealed the clinical features and survival rates of patients at a tertiary Korean Hospital who were diagnosed with MM at the beginning of 21st century.

Background: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the second most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in Western countries. However, it is relatively rare in Asia. This study examined epidemiologic characteristics of FL in South Korea, with an emphasis on recent trends of increase in cases. Methods: We retrospectively examined 239 cases of newly diagnosed FL at a large tertiary institution in Korea (Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea) between 2008 and 2017. Age-adjusted incidence rates and clinicopathological variables were analyzed, and joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify the changes. Results: The age-adjusted incidence of FL significantly increased during the study period (p = .034), and the ratio of (relative incidence) patients with FL to patients with NHL increased from 4.28% to 9.35% in the same period. Over the 10-year study assessment duration, the proportion of patients with stage III/IV FL (p = .035) and expression of BCL2 (p = .022) or BCL6 (p = .039) significantly increased. From 2013–2017, the proportion of patients with highrisk Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score increased (21.5% to 28.7%), whereas that of low-risk FLIPI decreased (55.4% to 38.6%), although those results were not statistically significant (p = .066). Conclusions We found an increasing incidence of FL, with a disproportionate increase in the incidence of high-stage disease and recent changes in the clinicopathologic features of the Korean patient population.

Background/Aims: The first autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in Korea was performed for a small-cell lung cancer patient at Asan Medical Center (AMC) in 1993. Recently, lymphoma and myeloma have been the main indications; there has been progress in the treatments for these lymphoid malignancies. We explored the real-world experience of ASCT for lymphoma and myeloma at AMC over a 25-year period. Methods: We used the AMC ASCT registry, which has collected ASCT data prospectively since January 1993. Data for Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma patients were analyzed. Patients transplanted up to December 2018 were included to assess adequate survival data. The ASCT time period was divided arbitrarily into 1994-1999, 2000-2009, and 2010-2018. In cases of multiple myeloma, we analyzed the 1st ASCT data only. Results: Survival of these lymphoid malignancy patients after ASCT has progressively improved. The increase in survival may be related to advances in various medical skills supporting ASCT. However, overall survival has improved much more than progression-free survival. This suggests that better salvage therapies after ASCT failure have mainly affected the improvement in overall survival. The hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index could not be used as a survival indicator in this analysis. Conclusions This real-world experience study showed that the survival of lymphoid malignancy patients treated with ASCT has improved over the past 25 years.