The effect of biological heterogeneity on R-CHOP treatment outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma across five international regions

Abstract

Addressing the global burden of cancer, understanding its diverse biology, and promoting appropriate prevention and treatment strategies around the world has become a priority for the United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the WHO, and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The IAEA sponsored an international prospective cohort study to better understand biology, treatment response, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in low and middle-income countries across five UN-defined geographical regions. We report an analysis of biological variation in DLBCL across seven ethnic and environmentally diverse populations. In this cohort of 136 patients treated to a common protocol, we demonstrate significant biological differences between countries, characterized by a validated prognostic gene expression score (p < .0001), but International Prognostic Index (IPI)-adjusted survivals in all participating countries were similar. We conclude that DLBCL treatment outcomes in these populations can be benchmarked to international standards, despite biological heterogeneity.

Identification of a Patient Cohort with Relapsing Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma with a Low International Prognostic Index in PET/CT Using a 2-Gene (LMO2/TNFRSF9) Scoring System

“…material) was transferred to a centralized laboratory to assess expression of recognized prognostic genes. Using the 6-gene model [6], initial studies demonstrated significant molecular heterogeneity of DLBCL cases between different countries, but within a country case cluster, clinical IPI score was more predictive of outcome than gene expression signature [7].…”