Validation of the Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index: A single-center retrospective analysis.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a unique, recently recognized entity with a variable clinical course [1]. Its historical grouping as an indolent lymphoma belies its common behavior, which is generally aggressive and incurable, with a median survival of about 5 years with modern therapy [2]. In an effort to improve outcomes in MCL, intensified therapies, including the rituximab plus HyperCVAD regimen [3] and incorporation of hematopoetic progenitor cell transplantation (HPCT) [4-6], have been used. However, although capable of inducing remissions in most patients, there is little proof that intensive first-line therapy prolongs overall survival (OS), and a continual relapse pattern is commonly observed [4,7-10].