BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been correlated to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in few series, but characteristics and outcome of these patients remain undefined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 156 previously untreated consecutive HCV-positive patients with DLBCL observed between 1994 and 2004 in three major institutions from northern Italy. RESULTS: Median age at presentation was 63 years and 8% of patients had DLBCL transformed from low-grade lymphomas. Spleen was the most frequently involved extranodal site, followed by liver and stomach. Treatment was delivered with cure-intent in 132 patients, while the remaining 24 patients received monochemotherapy or radiotherapy alone due to old age or seriously impaired hepatic function. Only five patients (4%) had to discontinue chemotherapy due to severe liver function impairment. The addition of rituximab did not seem to affect patients' tolerance to treatment. Five-year overall survival of the entire cohort was 72%, while 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of the 132 patients treated with cure-intent was 51%. Hepatitis B virus co-infection, advanced Ann Arbor stage and nodal origin of the tumor resulted the strongest adverse prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HCV-positive DLBCL share distinctive clinical features. Future studies should prospectively evaluate the association between HCV and aggressive lymphomas.
BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been correlated to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in few series, but characteristics and outcome of these patients remain undefined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 156 previously untreated consecutive HCV-positive patients with DLBCL observed between 1994 and 2004 in three major institutions from northern Italy. RESULTS: Median age at presentation was 63 years and 8% of patients had DLBCL transformed from low-grade lymphomas. Spleen was the most frequently involved extranodal site, followed by liver and stomach. Treatment was delivered with cure-intent in 132 patients, while the remaining 24 patients received monochemotherapy or radiotherapy alone due to old age or seriously impaired hepatic function. Only five patients (4%) had to discontinue chemotherapy due to severe liver function impairment. The addition of rituximab did not seem to affect patients' tolerance to treatment. Five-year overall survival of the entire cohort was 72%, while 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of the 132 patients treated with cure-intent was 51%. Hepatitis B virus co-infection, advanced Ann Arbor stage and nodal origin of the tumor resulted the strongest adverse prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with HCV-positive DLBCL share distinctive clinical features. Future studies should prospectively evaluate the association between HCV and aggressive lymphomas.
Authors: Luca Arcaini; Davide Rossi; Marco Lucioni; Marta Nicola; Alessio Bruscaggin; Valeria Fiaccadori; Roberta Riboni; Antonio Ramponi; Virginia V Ferretti; Stefania Cresta; Gloria Margiotta Casaluci; Maurizio Bonfichi; Manuel Gotti; Michele Merli; Aldo Maffi; Mariarosa Arra; Marzia Varettoni; Sara Rattotti; Lucia Morello; Maria Luisa Guerrera; Roberta Sciarra; Gianluca Gaidano; Mario Cazzola; Marco Paulli Journal: Haematologica Date: 2014-11-07 Impact factor: 9.941
Authors: Jeff Hosry; Roberto N Miranda; Felipe Samaniego; Minas P Economides; Harrys A Torres Journal: Int J Cancer Date: 2017-11-03 Impact factor: 7.396