The Phenotypes Of Germinal Center B-Cell-Like (Gcb) And Non-Gcb Failed To Predict The Survival Of Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma In The Rituximab Era

The prognostic significance of the phenotypes of germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) and non-GCB in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains uncertain. In this study, we investigated the prognostic role of the phenotypes of GCB and non-GCB and explored whether it could be improved when combined with international prognostic index (IPI) and BCL2 in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP). One hundred and six cases with de novo DLBCL were examined, and 50 patients had the GCB and 56 had the non-GCB phenotypes. The 2-year progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 67% and 85% in the GCB group, 55% and 82% in the non-GCB group. No significant differences of progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were observed between these two phenotypes (P>0.05). When based on the same international prognostic index (IPI) risk group, the PFS and OS between the phenotypes of GCB and non-GCB still had no significant differences (P>0.05). Besides, patients with GCB and non-GCB showed no significant differences in PFS and OS in the BCL2 positive group and so did in the BCL2 negative group. The phenotypes of GCB and non-GCB failed to predict the survival of patients with DLBCL in the rituximab era.