Germinal center B-cell-like versus non-germinal center B-cell-like as important prognostic factor for localized nodal DLBCL.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although many investigations have been performed on the prognostic factors of DLBCL, no reports have focused on localized nodal DLBCL. We examined the prognostic significance of 39 Japanese patients with localized nodal DLBCL with special reference to the germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) versus non-germinal center B-cell-like (NGCB) types. The median age was 65 years with 23 males and 16 females. Using Hans algorithm of immunohistochemistry, 18 patients (46%) exhibited GCB type and 21 (54%) exhibited NGCB type. Twenty-nine patients (74%) presented with disease in the neck (neck group) and 10 (26%) had disease in non-neck regions (non-neck group). Comparing Hans, Choi, and Muris algorithms, patients with GCB type showed statistically significant progression-free survival (PFS) only with Hans algorithm (P = 0.022, P = 0.100, and P = 0.130, respectively). Patient survival analyses revealed that GCB-type patients by Hans algorithm had a better PFS (P = 0.012), and neck-group patients had better PFS and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.018 and P = 0.012, respectively). Univariate analysis revealed that only neck vs. non-neck exhibited a significant difference in terms of OS (P = 0.026). Multivariate analysis revealed that GCB type by Hans algorithm and neck vs. non-neck were significantly different in terms of PFS (P = 0.025 and P = 0.033, respectively). Therefore, the subclassifications of GCB type vs. NGCB type and neck vs. non-neck are important predictive prognostic factors in localized nodal DLBCL.