Objective: To explore the prognostic factors of primary nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (N-DLBCL).
Methods: According to the 2001 WHO classification of tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissue, 51 cases of primary N-DLBCL were collected for clinical data analysis and immunohistochemical assay. Antibodies used for study were anti-CD20, CD79alpha, CD45RO, CD3, Bcl-2, Ki-67, CD30, CD15, kappa, lambda, Cyclin D1, TdT, GFAP, CK, MPO. The survival data was analyzed.
Results: Of the 51 cases of N-DLBCLs, 40 were reclassified as centroblastic, 3 B-immunoblastic, 1 T-cell/histiocytes rich, 2 B-cell anaplastic large cell, 1 plasmablastic, and 4 unclassified. Expression of Bcl-2 oncoprotein was observed in 24 cases (47.1%). The median Ki-67 index was 50.0% and the index more than 40% was found in 35 cases (68.6%). Survival analysis of 35 cases had follow up data showed that the 2 year and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 48.54% and 35.30%, respectively. The 5-year OS rates patients with International Prognosis Index (IPI) >/= 3 was lower than that with IPI < 3 (P < 0.01). The 5-year OS rates for patients with B symptoms was lower than that without B symptoms (P < 0.05). The 5-year OS rates for patients with Ki-67 index more than 40% was lower than that with less than 40% (P < 0.05). The expression of Bcl-2 oncoprotein was uncorrelated to prognosis (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: IPI, B symptoms and Ki-67 index are the prognostic factors for patients with N-DLBCL.