MANTLE CELL LYMPHOMA - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON 27 PATIENTS - CLINICAL-FEATURES AND NATURAL-HISTORY

Background and Objective. Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a separate his tological and clinical entity recently recognized in the new revised E uropean-American Lymphoma Classification. Little information exists re garding its therapy. We report the results of a retrospective study of 27 patients affected by MCL evaluating the clinical characteristics a nd the results of different therapeutical options used during the peri od of observation. Design and Methods. From 1983 to 1993, we observed 27 patients affected by MCL according to the criteria proposed by Euro pean Lymphoma Task Force in a revision of 55 cases classified as NHL E according to Working Formulation (WF) criteria. We analyzed the clini cal characteristics, the prognostic factors and the O.S. of these pati ents. Results. The clinical characteristics of our patients (pts) are similar to those observed in other series: male prevalence, median age 62 years, B symptoms in 9 cases, P.S. > 2 in 11 cases, 3 pts were in stage I and II, 4 in stage III, 20 in stage IV; 18 pts had a bone marr ow involvement, 13 pts had spleen enlargement and 14 had extranodal lo calization; 8 pts had bulky tumor and 5 had LDH above normal. The On r ate was 51,8%, the median O.S. was 43 months, and DFS was 18 months; t he pts without bulky disease and with localized disease had a better O n rate. The inclusion of an anthracycline in the regimen did not affec t the results. Interpretation and Conclusions. Our results were not di vergent from those present in literature. The mantle cell lymphoma Is an incurable and highly aggressive disease. Autologous bone marrow tra nsplantation as support of high dose chemotherapy or allogenic bone ma rrow transplantation may be a chance for some patients, but not for th e majority of patients, which are older than 65 years. Studies of a la rger series and different therapeutical approaches, ie using biologica l modifiers in association or as maintenance after chemotherapy are es sential. (C) 1998, Ferrata Storti Foundation.