[Prognostic impact of anthracyclines in the treatment of aggressive lymphoma in patients over 70 years]. / Impacto pronóstico de las antraciclinas en el tratamiento de pacientes mayores de 70 años con linfoma agresivo.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The optimal treatment of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in elderly patients remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the impact of age and use of anthracyclines. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis of patients with aggressive NHL aged over 70 years old. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients with a median age of 76 years (70-91). Eighty-eight percent received chemotherapy, and 72% received anthracyclines. The overall response rate was 70%, 51% with a complete response (CR)/uncertain complete response and 19% with a partial response (PR). Overall survival (OS) was 28 months (95% confidence interval 18-78). In the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma group, progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were significantly better in patients who achieved CR versus PR. The use of anthracyclines was associated with CR, the international prognostic index (IPI) was associated with both survival and response, and age showed no association. CONCLUSIONS: In patients aged ≥ 70 years with aggressive lymphoma who received chemotherapy, the IPI but not age and the use of anthracyclines showed a prognostic impact. Therefore, in elderly patients with aggressive lymphomas, the use of anthracyclines should be considered and therapeutic decisions should not be based on age exclusively.

Standardized uptake value for (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose is correlated with a high International Prognostic Index and the presence of extranodal involvement in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) correlates with the International Prognostic Index (IPI) and the presence of extranodal involvement in patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 77 patients (age: 57.2±18.5, 40F, 37M) with DLBCL who underwent FDG PET/CT for initial staging were included. SUVmax of the predominant lesions were compared to Ann Arbor stage, IPI scores, the presence of extranodal involvement and the number extranodal sites. RESULTS: PET/CT detected nodal (n:25) and extranodal involvement (n:52) in all the patients. In 27 patients, extranodal disease could only be detected by PET. SUVmax of the predominant lesion in patients with extranodal disease was significantly higher than that of the patients who had only nodal disease (25±12 vs. 15.3±10 respectively, p=0.001). SUVmax significantly correlated with IPI scores; the average SUVmax was significantly correlated with the IPI: Mean SUVmax of the predominant lesion was 13.9±9.5 in patients with low risk (IPI=0-1), 14.2±8.8 in low-intermediate risk group (IPI=2) whereas 26.6±9.5 in high-intermediate risk group (IPI=3) and 25±13.6 in high risk group patients (IPI=4-5) (p=0.002). SUVmax was not correlated with clinical stage, the number of extranodal sites and serum LDH levels. CONCLUSION: FDG uptake correlates with IPI and the presence of extranodal involvement in DLBCL. PET is a powerful method to detect extranodal disease in DLBCL. The correlation of SUVmax with these prognostic factors may highlight the importance of pretreatment FDG uptake as a metabolic marker of poor prognosis for patients with DLBCL.

Evolución de los linfomas no Hodgkin de células grandes según el Índice Pronóstico Internacional / Evolution of the large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas according to the International Prognostic Index

El Índice Pronóstico Internacional (IPI) agrupa una serie de factores pronósticos que permiten predecir la probable evolución clínica de los linfomas no Hodgkin (LNH). Se empleó en 121 pacientes con diagnóstico de LNH de células grandes, se estratificó en 2 grupos etáreos, y estos a su vez en 4 grupos pronóstico(GP); en el Grupo A donde se agrupó los pacientes de todas las edades, el mayor número se ubicó en los GP Bajo (GPB) y Bajo-Intermedio (GPBI) con 41,32 y 38, 02 %, respectivamente. Se obtuvo el 47, 1 % de Remisión Completa (RC), las mayores se alcanzaron en el GPB (54 %) y en el GPBI (52 %). La probabilidad de Supervivencia Global (SG) a los 5 años fue del 60 %, la mayor se obtuvo en el GPB (75 %) y en el GPBI (62 %). El Grupo B tuvo los pacientes de 60 años o menos, la mayor cantidad se ubicó en los GPBI (43, 6 %) y en el Alto-Intermedio (37, 2 %) , en este grupo se alcanzó el 50 % de RC, la mejor respuesta terapéutica se obtuvo en el GP Alto con el 100 % de RC (pero con sólo 2 pacientes), seguido del GPB con el 69, 2 %. La SG a los 5 años fue del 66 %, la más elevada fue la del GPB (90 %), seguida por el GPBI (65 %). Se demostró que, de forma general, se obtienen resultados superiores, en relación con RC y SG, en el Grupo que analiza sólo a los pacientes menores de 60 años y en los Grupos de pronóstico bueno (GPB y GPBI).

The International Prognostic Index (IPI) groups a series of prognostic factors that allow to predict the probable clinical evolution of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL). It was used in 121 patients with diagnosis of large-cell NHL. It was stratified into 2 age groups and these at the same time were divided into 4 Prognostic Groups (PG). In the Group A, where pàtients of all ages were included, the greatest number was found in the Low Prognostic Groups (LPG) and Low-Intermediate Prognostic Groups (LIPG) with 41.32 and 38.02 %, respectively. Complete Remission (CR) was attained in 47.1 %. The highest figures of remissions were observed in the LPG (54 %) and in the LIPG (52 %) The probability of Global Survival (GS) at 5 years was 60 %. The highest was obtained in the LPG (75 %) and in the LIPG (62 %). Group B included patients aged 60 or under. Most of them were in the LIPG (43.6 %) and in the High-Intermediate Prognostic Group (37.2 %). 50 % of CR was achieved in this group. The best therapeutic response was obtained in the High PG with 100 % of CR (but with only 2 patients), followed by the LPG with 69.2 %. GS at five years was 66 %. The highest was that of the LPG (90 %), followed by the ILPG (65 %). It was proved in a general way that better results are obtained in relation to CR and GS in the group analizing only patients under 60 and in the groups of good prognosis (LPG and LIPG).