Survival of Patients with Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma In a Community Hospital

Abstract 4902

Introduction: Of the various subtypes of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most prevalent, making up 30 percent of all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases. Information from community hospitals regarding the treatment and survival of relapsed patients is scarce. The study was done to obtain the survival data of patients with a relapse of DLBCL, treated with and without transplant at our center.

Patients and Methods: The tumor registry data at Jersey Shore University Medical Center between 2000–2008 was reviewed. 41 patients had been diagnosed with DLBCL. Of these, the diagnosis in 13 pts represented a relapse of DLBCL. Review of the hospital records showed that the treatments for these relapsed patients had been radiation, rituximab -based chemotherapy, and/or autologous stem cell transplant. Eight were female and five were male, with a median age of 66 years at initial diagnosis (range: 51 to 81 years). The median age was 68 at the time of relapse (range: 52 to 82 years). Survival was measured from the time of the diagnosis of relapse until death from any cause or the date when lost to follow up. Information on the duration of time from initial diagnosis to relapse was also obtained.

Results: Of the 13 patients who relapsed, 3 underwent stem cell transplant, one of whom died at 43 weeks and two are alive after 70 and 336 weeks. Of the 10 who did not have transplant, 6 died at 2, 8, 15, 19, 19 and 38 weeks. The 4 remaining non-transplant patients are alive at 37, 61, 167, and 221 weeks. Of the 13 patients who relapsed, at primary diagnosis, one had been stage I, 3 had been stage II, 3 had been stage III, and 5 had been stage IV. One was of unknown stage. The average time from diagnosis to relapse was 80 weeks.

Conclusion: Although our numbers are small, it does appear that there is a role for second-line treatments in those patients with a relapse of large cell lymphoma that are not undergoing stem cell transplant. Further study of the treatment of non-transplanted patients with relapsed DLBCL appears warranted.