Significance of Clinical Factors As Prognostic Indicators for Mature T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of Chinese Cases

To retrospectively analyze the significance of different clinical factors for predicting the prognosis of mature T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MTCL) patients.

Two hundred and fifty-two MTCL patients admitted from 2005 to 2011 into the First Affiliated Hospital of the Zhejiang University were retrospectively reviewed. All diagnoses were confirmed by histopathological hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and prognostic values of β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) levels, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, B symptoms, Ann Arbor stages, international prognostic index (IPI), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, bone marrow involvement (BMI) and extra nodal involvement (ENI) for the overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Additionally, we compared the OS of patients treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) and patients treated with an alternative intensive chemotherapy.

At a median follow-up of 23 months, the OS rate was 23. 8%. Our results revealed that the presence of B symptoms (P <0. 001), ECOG score≥2 (P <0. 001), BMI (P <0. 001), elevated LDH levels (P <0. 001), elevated β2-MG levels (P<0. 001), Ann Arbor stages III/IV (P=0. 007) and IPI ≥3 (P=0. 001) were factors for a poor OS prognosis and intensive chemotherapy showed a better OS outcome than CHOP treatment.

Elevated LDH and β2-MG levels, B symptoms, Ann Arbor stage III/IV, BMI, high IPI indexes and ECOG scores predict an unfavorable prognosis of MTCL patients. When compared with the classical CHOP regimen, the intensive chemotherapy treatment can improve the prognosis of patients with MTCL.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.