Prognostic implications of cytogenetic aberrations in diffuse large B-celllymphomas

A single institution series of 81 consecutive, cytogenetically analyzed, di ffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBL), the majority of which treated with ant hracycline-containing combination chemotherapy, were reviewed retrospective ly to investigate whether the karyotypic pattern or certain abnormalities c orrelate with survival. Clonal chromosome changes were found in 79 of the 8 1 cases. The prognostic impact of the following aberrations, all suggested in previous studies to be associated with either shorter or longer survival , were tested: 1q21-23 breakpoints, +2/dup(2p), +3/dup(3p), +5, +6, 6q21-25 breakpoints, monosomy 7/der(7p)/i(7q), trisomy 7, 14q11-12 breakpoints, mo nosomy 17/der(17p)/i(17q), trisomy 18, >4 marker chromosomes, >4 breakpoint s, and greater than or equal to 10 abnormalities. Univariate analysis showe d that a breakpoint at 1q21-23 or trisomy 6 was associated with a shorter s urvival. However, when adjusted for age, stage, performance status and lact ate dehydrogenase level, none of the cytogenetic aberrations had an indepen dent prognostic value. Thus, the present investigation provides no support for any of the above-mentioned abnormalities being of prognostic importance in DLBL.