PREDICTIVE CAPACITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGNOSTIC FACTOR INDEX IN PATIENTS WITH PERIPHERAL T-CELL LYMPHOMA

Purpose: The International Prognostic Factor Index has been shown to p redict the outcome of patients with predominantly B-cell lymphomas cla ssified using traditional classifications, including the Working Formu lation, but its prognostic importance has not been tested in a cohort of patients with exclusively T-cell lymphomas, This study was conducte d to evaluate the prognostic significance of the International Prognos tic Factor Index in patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). P atients and Methods: Seventy-eight patients (48 men and 30 women) with PTCL seen at a single institution between 1985 and 1995 were included in the analysis, The morphology and immunocytochemistry of all the or iginal biopsy specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist and clas sified using the Revised European-American Lymphoma (REAL) classificat ion. The Intertional Prognostic Factor Index, as well as clinical and biochemical parameters, were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine their association with patient outcome. Results: The International Prognostic Factor Index strongly predicted survival when all patients were included in the analysis (P < .001). For patie nts less than or equal to 60 years, the age-adjusted International Ind ex significantly predicted long-term survival (P = .0218). For patient s older than 60 years, the age-adjusted International Index also signi ficantly predicted survival (P = .002), Liver involvement (P = .006) a nd bone marrow involvement (P = .814) were also significant prognostic factors in the univariate analysis, but only the international Index remained significant in the multivariate analysis (P = .001). Conclusi on: The International Prognostic Factor Index, which significantly pre dicts outcome in patients with aggressive/intermediate-grade B-cell ly mphomas, has similar prognostic importance in patients with PTCL. (C) 1997 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.