Elsevier

Annals of Oncology

Volume 21, Issue 5, May 2010, Pages 1046-1052
Annals of Oncology

original articles
hematologic malignancies
Incidence and risk factors for central nervous system relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: the impact of the addition of rituximab to CHOP chemotherapy

https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdp432Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background: The addition of rituximab to CHOP (R-CHOP; CHOP, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) chemotherapy improves outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We evaluated the risk of central nervous system (CNS) relapse in the R-CHOP in a population-based cohort of patients with DLBCL.

Methods: Patients with DLBCL diagnosed from 1 September 1999 to 14 January 2005 at the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) were identified. Patients were included if they were ≥16 years old with advanced stage or any stage with testicular involvement and were treated with CHOP (1999–2001) or R-CHOP (2001–2005) with curative intent.

Results: Four hundred and thirty-five patients were identified; 126 (29%) were treated with CHOP and 309 (71%) with R-CHOP. With a median follow-up of 5.7 years, there were 31 CNS relapses in total with a trend to a reduced likelihood of CNS relapse in R-CHOP-treated patients (3-year risk 9.7% versus 6.4, P = 0.085). In multivariate analysis, the use of rituximab significantly reduced the risk of CNS relapse [hazard ratio (HR) 0.45, P = 0.034]; this benefit was more striking in patients who achieved a complete response (HR 0.18, P = 0.005).

Conclusion: The use of R-CHOP appears to reduce the overall risk of CNS relapse in patients with DLBCL particularly in patients who achieve a complete response.

Key words

central nervous system
CNS relapse
diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
DLBCL
R-CHOP
rituximab

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