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MInT

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LHA ID: 7Q0CR2P4G7-2

Projects: GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Marita Ziepert

Submitter

René Hänsel

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Created: 16th May 2019 at 13:59

Last updated: 16th May 2019 at 13:59

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GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

B-cell lymphoma is the most frequent lymphoid neoplasia accounting for one third of all lymphomas. R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) is the current treatment standard, leading to high cure rates especially in younger patients. Although the 3-year event-free survival is about 60% even for elderly patients between 60-80 years old, the remainder of patients eventually relapse and the majority die of their disease. The German Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Study ...

Programme: NHL

Public web page: https://www.dshnhl.org

Organisms: Homo sapiens

Human Diseases: non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell lymphoma

MInT

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

No description specified

Submitter: René Hänsel

Investigation: MInT

Resources: MInT trial data, MInt Trial Result Metadata

Study type: Not specified

Snapshots: No snapshots

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 12:47, Last updated: 16th May 2019 at 14:13

MInT trial data

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

Demographics, reference pathology diagnosis, Outcome (Event-free survival, Progression-free survival, Overall survival)

Submitter: René Hänsel

Resource type: Experimental Assay Type

Technology type: Technology Type

Investigation: MInT

Study: MInT

Human Diseases: B-cell lymphoma

Data files: MabThera International Trial Data, MabThera International Trial Data (ODM), MabThera International Trial Data (SPSS)

Snapshots: No snapshots

Created: 20th May 2019 at 11:30, Last updated: 20th May 2019 at 11:30

MInt Trial Result Metadata

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

Demographics, reference pathology diagnosis, Outcome (Event-free survival, Progression-free survival, Overall survival)

Submitter: Christoph Beger

Resource type: Result Dataset of Clinical Study

Technology type: Technology Type

Investigation: MInT

Study: MInT

Human Diseases: non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell lymphoma

Data files: MabThera International Trial Metadata, MabThera International Trial Metadata (ODM)

Snapshots: No snapshots

Created: 15th May 2019 at 14:07, Last updated: 20th May 2019 at 11:27

Progression-Free Survival as a Surrogate End Point for Overall Survival in First-Line Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: An Individual Patient-Level Analysis of Multiple Randomized Trials (SEAL).

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Marita Ziepert

Abstract (Expand)

Purpose Overall survival (OS) is the definitive and best-established primary efficacy end point to evaluate diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) therapies, but it requires prolonged follow-up. An … earlier end point assessed post-treatment would expedite clinical trial conduct and accelerate patient access to effective new therapies. Our objective was to formally evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) and PFS at 24 months (PFS24) as surrogate end points for OS in first-line DLBCL. Patients and Methods Individual patient data were analyzed from 7,507 patients from 13 multicenter randomized controlled trials of active treatment in previously untreated DLBCL, published after 2002, with sufficient PFS data to predict treatment effects on OS. Trial-level surrogacy examining the correlation of treatment effect estimates of PFS/PFS24 and OS was evaluated using both linear regression ( R(2)WLS) and Copula bivariable ( R(2)Copula) models. Prespecified criteria for surrogacy required either R(2)WLS or R(2)Copula >/= 0.80 and neither < 0.7, with lower-bound 95% CI > 0.60. Results Trial-level surrogacy for PFS was strong ( R(2)WLS = 0.83; R(2)Copula = 0.85) and met the predefined criteria for surrogacy. At the patient level, PFS strongly correlated with OS. The surrogate threshold effect had a hazard ratio of 0.89. Surrogacy was consistent across comparisons with or without rituximab and with rituximab maintenance trials. Trial-level surrogacy for PFS24 was relatively strong ( R(2)WLS = 0.77; R(2)Copula = 0.78) but did not meet prespecified criteria. At the patient level, PFS24 significantly correlated with OS. The surrogate threshold effect had an odds ratio of 1.51. Conclusion This large pooled analysis of individual patient data supports PFS as a surrogate end point for OS in future randomized controlled trials evaluating chemoimmunotherapy in DLBCL. Use of this end point may expedite therapeutic development with the intent of bringing novel therapies to this patient population years before OS results are mature.

Authors: Q. Shi, N. Schmitz, F. S. Ou, J. G. Dixon, D. Cunningham, M. Pfreundschuh, J. F. Seymour, U. Jaeger, T. M. Habermann, C. Haioun, H. Tilly, H. Ghesquieres, F. Merli, M. Ziepert, R. Herbrecht, J. Flament, T. Fu, B. Coiffier, C. R. Flowers

Date Published: 1st Sep 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 29975624

Citation: J Clin Oncol. 2018 Sep 1;36(25):2593-2602. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2018.77.9124. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 14:02, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Progression-free survival at 24 months (PFS24) and subsequent outcome for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) enrolled on randomized clinical trials.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

Abstract (Expand)

Background: Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with first-line anthracycline-based immunochemotherapy and remaining in remission at 2 years have excellent outcomes. This study assessed … overall survival (OS) stratified by progression-free survival (PFS) at 24 months (PFS24) using individual patient data from patients with DLBCL enrolled in multi-center, international randomized clinical trials as part of the Surrogate Endpoint for Aggressive Lymphoma (SEAL) Collaboration. Patients and methods: PFS24 was defined as being alive and PFS24 after study entry. OS from PFS24 was defined as time from identified PFS24 status until death due to any cause. OS was compared with each patient's age-, sex-, and country-matched general population using expected survival and standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Results: A total of 5853 patients enrolled in trials in the SEAL database received rituximab as part of induction therapy and were included in this analysis. The median age was 62 years (range 18-92), and 56% were greater than 60 years of age. At a median follow-up of 4.4 years, 1337 patients (23%) had disease progression, 1489 (25%) had died, and 5101 had sufficient follow-up to evaluate PFS24. A total of 1423 assessable patients failed to achieve PFS24 with a median OS of 7.2 months (95% CI 6.8-8.1) after progression; 5-year OS after progression was 19% and SMR was 32.1 (95% CI 30.0-34.4). A total of 3678 patients achieved PFS24; SMR after achieving PFS24 was 1.22 (95% CI 1.09-1.37). The observed OS versus expected OS at 3, 5, and 7 years after achieving PFS24 was 93.1% versus 94.4%, 87.6% versus 89.5%, and 80.0% versus 83.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Patients treated with rituximab containing anthracycline-based immunochemotherapy on clinical trials who are alive without progression at 24 months from the onset of initial therapy have excellent outcomes with survival that is marginally lower but clinically indistinguishable from the age-, sex-, and country-matched background population for 7 years after achieving PFS24.

Authors: M. J. Maurer, T. M. Habermann, Q. Shi, N. Schmitz, D. Cunningham, M. Pfreundschuh, J. F. Seymour, U. Jaeger, C. Haioun, H. Tilly, H. Ghesquieres, F. Merli, M. Ziepert, R. Herbrecht, J. Flament, T. Fu, C. R. Flowers, B. Coiffier

Date Published: 1st Aug 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 29897404

Citation: Ann Oncol. 2018 Aug 1;29(8):1822-1827. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdy203.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:19, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Frequent NFKBIE deletions are associated with poor outcome in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Michael Hummel

Marita Ziepert

Abstract (Expand)

We recently reported a truncating deletion in the NFKBIE gene, which encodes IkappaBepsilon, a negative feedback regulator of NF-kappaB, in clinically aggressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). … Because preliminary data indicate enrichment of NFKBIE aberrations in other lymphoid malignancies, we screened a large patient cohort (n = 1460) diagnosed with different lymphoid neoplasms. While NFKBIE deletions were infrequent in follicular lymphoma, splenic marginal zone lymphoma, and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (<2%), slightly higher frequencies were seen in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and primary central nervous system lymphoma (3% to 4%). In contrast, a remarkably high frequency of NFKBIE aberrations (46/203 cases [22.7%]) was observed in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) and Hodgkin lymphoma (3/11 cases [27.3%]). NFKBIE-deleted PMBL patients were more often therapy refractory (P = .022) and displayed inferior outcome compared with wild-type patients (5-year survival, 59% vs 78%; P = .034); however, they appeared to benefit from radiotherapy (P =022) and rituximab-containing regimens (P = .074). NFKBIE aberrations remained an independent factor in multivariate analysis (P = .003) and when restricting the analysis to immunochemotherapy-treated patients (P = .008). Whole-exome sequencing and gene expression profiling verified the importance of NF-kappaB deregulation in PMBL. In summary, we identify NFKBIE aberrations as a common genetic event across B-cell malignancies and highlight NFKBIE deletions as a novel poor-prognostic marker in PMBL.

Authors: L. Mansouri, D. Noerenberg, E. Young, E. Mylonas, M. Abdulla, M. Frick, F. Asmar, V. Ljungstrom, M. Schneider, K. Yoshida, A. Skaftason, T. Pandzic, B. Gonzalez, A. Tasidou, N. Waldhueter, A. Rivas-Delgado, M. Angelopoulou, M. Ziepert, C. M. Arends, L. Couronne, D. Lenze, C. D. Baldus, C. Bastard, J. Okosun, J. Fitzgibbon, B. Dorken, H. G. Drexler, D. Roos-Weil, C. A. Schmitt, H. D. Munch-Petersen, T. Zenz, M. L. Hansmann, J. C. Strefford, G. Enblad, O. A. Bernard, E. Ralfkiaer, M. Erlanson, P. Korkolopoulou, M. Hultdin, T. Papadaki, K. Gronbaek, A. Lopez-Guillermo, S. Ogawa, R. Kuppers, K. Stamatopoulos, N. Stavroyianni, G. Kanellis, A. Rosenwald, E. Campo, R. M. Amini, G. Ott, T. P. Vassilakopoulos, M. Hummel, R. Rosenquist, F. Damm

Date Published: 8th Dec 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 27670424

Citation: Blood. 2016 Dec 8;128(23):2666-2670. doi: 10.1182/blood-2016-03-704528. Epub 2016 Sep 26.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:15, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

CNS International Prognostic Index: A Risk Model for CNS Relapse in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With R-CHOP.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Samira Zeynalova

Marita Ziepert

Markus Löffler

Abstract (Expand)

PURPOSE: To develop and validate a risk score for relapse in the CNS in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2,164 patients (18 to 80 years old) with … aggressive B-cell lymphomas (80% DLBCL) treated with rituximab and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone)-like chemotherapy, who were enrolled in studies from the German High-Grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Study Group and the MabThera International Trial, were analyzed for occurrence of relapse/progression in the CNS. The resulting risk model was validated in an independent data set of 1,597 patients with DLBCL identified in the British Columbia Cancer Agency Lymphoid Cancer database. RESULTS: The risk model consists of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) factors in addition to involvement of kidneys and/or adrenal glands (CNS-IPI). In a three-risk group model, the low-risk group (46% of all patients analyzed), the intermediate-risk group (41%), and the high-risk group (12%) showed 2-year rates of CNS disease of 0.6% (CI, 0% to 1.2%), 3.4% (CI, 2.2% to 4.4%), and 10.2% (CI, 6.3% to 14.1%), respectively. Patients from the validation British Columbia Cancer Agency data set showed similar rates of CNS disease for low-risk (0.8%; CI, 0.0% to 1.6%), intermediate-risk (3.9%; CI, 2.3% to 5.5%), and high-risk (12.0%; CI, 7.9% to 16.1%) groups. CONCLUSION: The CNS-IPI is a robust, highly reproducible tool that can be used to estimate the risk of CNS relapse/progression in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) chemotherapy. Close to 90% of patients with DLBCL belong to the low- and intermediate-risk groups and have a CNS relapse risk < 5%; they may be spared any diagnostic and therapeutic intervention. In contrast, those in the high-risk group have a > 10% risk of CNS relapse and should be considered for CNS-directed investigations and prophylactic interventions.

Authors: N. Schmitz, S. Zeynalova, M. Nickelsen, R. Kansara, D. Villa, L. H. Sehn, B. Glass, D. W. Scott, R. D. Gascoyne, J. M. Connors, M. Ziepert, M. Pfreundschuh, M. Loeffler, K. J. Savage

Date Published: 10th Sep 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 27382100

Citation: J Clin Oncol. 2016 Sep 10;34(26):3150-6. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.65.6520. Epub 2016 Jul 5.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:59, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Long-term ovarian function in women treated with CHOP or CHOP plus etoposide for aggressive lymphoma.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-associated ovarian damage comprises not only infertility, but also premature menopause. The latter has been reported as a consequence of alkylating chemotherapy for breast … cancer or Hodgkin's lymphoma. In this study, we assessed the long-term impact of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone)-like regimens on ovarian function in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Long-term survivors after CHOP or CHOP plus etoposide (CHOEP) treatment within the Mabthera International Trial or the NHL-B1 trial of the German NHL Study Group were requested to respond to a questionnaire and to consent to blood sampling for hormone assessment. RESULTS: A total of 46 of 81 contacted patients with a median age of 32.5 years at the time of enrolment into the aforementioned clinical trials responded to the questionnaire. The median follow-up after completion of treatment was 14 years. Last menstrual bleeding occurred significantly earlier in patients compared with the general population (47 versus 51 years, P < 0.0001). In comparison to the distribution of menopausal symptoms in the general population, the percentage of women with moderate or severe menopausal symptoms was increased. In 23 patients who agreed to participate in laboratory analyses, anti-Muller hormone as a marker of ovarian reserve was decreased when compared with correspondent age groups of the general population. CONCLUSION: Although most female patients regain fertility after CHOP-like chemotherapy, late ovarian impairment occurs frequently. Therefore, awareness of such delayed side-effects at the time of counselling is of importance.

Authors: J. Meissner, D. Tichy, V. Katzke, T. Kuhn, S. Dietrich, T. Schmitt, M. Ziepert, E. Kuhnt, T. Rixecker, M. Zorn, M. Witzens-Harig, M. Pfreundschuh, A. D. Ho

Date Published: 13th May 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: lymphoma

PubMed ID: 25962442

Citation: Ann Oncol. 2015 Aug;26(8):1771-6. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdv227. Epub 2015 May 11.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:22, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

The role of radiotherapy and intrathecal CNS prophylaxis in extralymphatic craniofacial aggressive B-cell lymphomas.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Marita Ziepert

Samira Zeynalova

Abstract (Expand)

To define the role of radiotherapy and intrathecal prophylaxis in extralymphatic craniofacial involvement (ECFI) of aggressive B-cell lymphoma, we analyzed 11 consecutive German High-Grade Non-Hodgkin … Lymphoma Study Group trials. ECFI occurred in 290/4155 (7.0%) patients (orbita, 31; paranasal sinuses, 93; main nasal cavity, 38; tongue, 27; remaining oral cavity, 99; salivary glands, 54). In a multivariable analysis adjusted for International Prognostic Index rituximab improved event-free and overall survival both in patients with and without ECFI. Three-year event-free (79% vs 79%; P = .842) and overall survival (86% vs 88%; P = .351) rates were similar in 145 patients receiving and 57 not receiving radiotherapy. Without rituximab, the 2-year cumulative rate of central nervous system (CNS) disease was increased in 205 ECFI patients compared with 2586 non-ECFI patients (4.2% vs 2.8%; P = .038), whereas this was not observed with rituximab (1.6% in 83 ECFI vs 3.4% in 1252 non-ECFI patients; P = .682). In 88 ECFI patients who received intrathecal prophylaxis with methotrexate, the 2-year rate of CNS disease was 4.2% compared with 2.3% in 191 patients who did not (P = .981). In conclusion, rituximab eliminates the increased risk for CNS disease in patients with ECFI. This retrospective analysis does not support intrathecal prophylaxis or radiotherapy to ECFI patients in complete remission/unconfirmed complete remission. These findings should be confirmed in a prospective study.

Authors: N. Murawski, G. Held, M. Ziepert, B. Kempf, A. Viardot, M. Hanel, M. Witzens-Harig, R. Mahlberg, C. Rube, J. Fleckenstein, C. Zwick, B. Glass, N. Schmitz, S. Zeynalova, M. Pfreundschuh

Date Published: 31st Jul 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 24939657

Citation: Blood. 2014 Jul 31;124(5):720-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-10-535021. Epub 2014 Jun 17.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:23, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Excellent outcome of young adults with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas treated with CHOP-like regimens.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

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Markus Löffler

Samira Zeynalova

Marita Ziepert

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: K. Hohloch, S. Zeynalova, G. Held, M. Ziepert, M. Loeffler, G. Wulf, N. Schmitz, M. Pfreundschuh, L. Trumper

Date Published: 10th Jul 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: non-Hodgkin lymphoma

PubMed ID: 25005242

Citation: Leukemia. 2014 Nov;28(11):2260-3. doi: 10.1038/leu.2014.213. Epub 2014 Jul 9.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 12:56, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Parenthood in long-term survivors after CHOP with or without etoposide treatment for aggressive lymphoma.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All creators

Marita Ziepert

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: J. Meissner, D. Tichy, S. Dietrich, T. Schmitt, M. Ziepert, E. Kuhnt, T. Rixecker, M. Witzens-Harig, M. Pfreundschuh, A. D. Ho

Date Published: 3rd Apr 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: lymphoma

PubMed ID: 24689462

Citation: Br J Haematol. 2014 Aug;166(4):612-5. doi: 10.1111/bjh.12877. Epub 2014 Apr 2.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:20, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Suboptimal dosing of rituximab in male and female patients with DLBCL.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All authors

Samira Zeynalova

Abstract (Expand)

To determine the effect of gender on outcome, the male hazard ratio for progression-free survival (HRPFS-male) was determined in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In young patients … (MapThera International Trial study), HRPFS-male was 1.3 (P = .092) without and 1.1 (P = .660) with rituximab. In elderly patients (RICOVER-60 study), HRPFS-male was 1.1 (P = .348) with CHOP but increased to 1.6 (P = .004) with R-CHOP. The similar improvements of outcome in young patients were associated with similar rituximab clearances in young males and females (9.89 vs 10.38 mL/h; P = .238), whereas the greater benefit for elderly females was associated with a slower rituximab clearance (8.47 vs 10.59 mL/h; P = .005) and hence higher serum levels and longer exposure times, attributable to an age-dependent (P = .004) decrease of rituximab clearance in females but not males. Compared with elderly females, all other subgroups had significantly faster rituximab clearances and hence appear to be suboptimally dosed when rituximab is given at 375 mg/m(2). Although early results of pharmacokinetic-based prospective trials designed to exploit the full therapeutic potential of rituximab suggest that increased doses and/or prolonged exposure times can improve the outcome of elderly males with DLBCL, further studies are warranted that address the optimization of rituximab dose and schedule in all subgroups of DLBCL patients.

Authors: M. Pfreundschuh, C. Muller, S. Zeynalova, E. Kuhnt, M. H. Wiesen, G. Held, T. Rixecker, V. Poeschel, C. Zwick, M. Reiser, N. Schmitz, N. Murawski

Date Published: 30th Jan 2014

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

PubMed ID: 24297867

Citation: Blood. 2014 Jan 30;123(5):640-6. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-07-517037. Epub 2013 Dec 2.

Created: 17th Apr 2019 at 13:48, Last updated: 7th Dec 2021 at 17:58

Impact of rituximab and radiotherapy on outcome of patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma and skeletal involvement.

GLA - German Lymphoma Alliance

All authors

Samira Zeynalova

Marita Ziepert

Abstract (Expand)

PURPOSE: To study clinical presentation, outcome, and the role of radiotherapy in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma and skeletal involvement treated with and without rituximab. PATIENTS AND … METHODS: Outcome of patients with skeletal involvement was analyzed in a retrospective study of nine consecutive prospective trials of the German High-Grade Non-Hodgkin lymphoma Study Group. RESULTS: Of 3,840 patients, 292 (7.6%) had skeletal involvement. In the MabThera International Trial (MInT) for young good-prognosis patients and the Rituximab With CHOP Over 60 Years (RICOVER-60) study for elderly patients, the randomized addition of rituximab improved event-free survival (EFS; hazard ratio for MInT [HRMInT] = 0.4, P > 001; hazard ratio for RICOVER-60 [HRRICOVER-60] = 0.6, P > .001) and overall survival (OS; HRMInT = 0.4, P < .001; HRRICOVER-60 = 0.7, P = .002) in patients without skeletal involvement, but failed to improve the outcome of patients with skeletal involvement (EFS: HRMInT = 1.4, P = .444; HRRICOVER-60 = 0.8, P = .449; OS: HRMInT = 0.6, P = .449; HRRICOVER-60 = 1.0, P = .935). Skeletal involvement was associated with a worse outcome after cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) plus rituximab (HREFS = 1.5, P = .048; HROS = 1.1; P = .828), but not after CHOP without rituximab (HREFS = 0.8, P = .181; HROS = 0.7, P = .083). In contrast to rituximab, additive radiotherapy to sites of skeletal involvement was associated with a decreased risk (HREFS = 0.3, P = .001; HROS = 0.5; P = .111). CONCLUSION: Rituximab failed to improve the outcome of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with skeletal involvement, although our data suggest a beneficial effect of radiotherapy to sites of skeletal involvement. Whether radiotherapy to sites of skeletal involvement can be spared in cases with a negative positron emission tomography after immunochemotherapy should be addressed in appropriately designed prospective trials.

Authors: G. Held, S. Zeynalova, N. Murawski, M. Ziepert, B. Kempf, A. Viardot, M. Dreyling, M. Hallek, M. Witzens-Harig, J. Fleckenstein, C. Rube, C. Zwick, B. Glass, N. Schmitz, M. Pfreundschuh