Serum nm23-H1 protein as a prognostic factor in aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Advances in chemotherapy have led to a favorable long-term prognosis in app roximately 50% of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Howe ver, the remaining patients do not enjoy such prolonged survival after stan dard treatment, New prognostic factors are needed to define this poor-progn osis group and to plan an appropriate treatment strategy. it has been repor ted that serum nm23-H1 protein may be a new prognostic factor for aggressiv e NHL, In the present study involving multiple institutions and a large num ber of patients, the level of nm23-H1 protein was compared among different types of lymphoma; it was lowest for indolent lymphoma, followed by aggress ive lymphoma and then highly aggressive lymphoma, In addition, patients wit h aggressive NHL and higher nm23-H1 levels had worse overall and progressio n-free survival rates than those with lower nm23-H1 levels. The nm23-H1 lev el was also compared between patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma an d patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma. The results suggest that the le vel of nm23-H1 could serve as a prognostic factor in both groups. Moreover, the prognosis of lymphoma patients could be ascertained even more precisel y by combining soluble interleukin-2 receptor or soluble CD44 and nm23-H1 l evels, A multivariate analysis confirmed that the nm23-H1 level is an indep endent and important prognostic factor in aggressive NHL. Therefore, it may provide useful information for clinicians to determine the appropriate the rapy for each type of lymphoma. (Blood, 2001; 97:1202-1210) (C) 2001 by The American Society of Hematology.