Survival Rates Up in Primary Cutaneous Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Patients with primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type, experienced the best survival rates with rituximab and combination chemotherapy, according to a new study.

Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCDLBCL-LT), is known to occur in elderly patients and does not have a good prognosis. The estimated 5-year survival rate is approximately 50 percent.

French researchers retrospectively studied 115 patients with a mean age of 76.9 diagnosed with PCDLBCL-LT between 1988 and 2003, and 2004 and 2010 and who received polychemotherapy (PCH) or PCH plus rituximab.

Age, sex, diagnosis time period, number of skin lesions, tumor stage, location, lactate dehydrogenase level and type of therapy and outcome were recorded. Mean follow-up was 39 months.

Survival rates were significantly higher in the later group. Rates of 3 and 5 years were 80 percent and 74 percent respectively when treated with rituximab-polychemotherapy (PCT), compared to 48 percent and 38 percent respectively in patients treated with less-intensive therapies.

Disease-related death was significantly associated with location on the leg and treatment without rituximab-PCT.

Source: JAMA Dermatology