Survival analyses
The patient sub-cohort that received R-CHOP(-like) regimens achieved a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of 64.5% and 74.7% respectively (Fig. 1). At the point of data analysis, 274 patients (27.5%) had died. Further analysis will be performed in this sub-cohort of patients treated with R-CHOP(-like) regimens.
Univariate analysis for OS revealed that male sex (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.13–1.70, p = 0.0020), age > 60 (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.24–1.89, p = 0.0001), ECOG performance status ≥ 2 (HR 3.90, 95% CI 2.36–6.42, p = < 0.0001), Stage III or IV (HR 2.33, 95% CI 1.89–2.87, p = < 0.0001), presence of B-symptoms (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.20–1.91, p = 0.0004), raised LDH (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.28–2.07, p = 0.0001), non-GCB cell of origin by Han’s algorithm (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.12–1.74, p = 0.0029) and MYC/BCL2 double expressor status (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.15–2.29, p = 0.0059) were all predictors for worse PFS (Table 3).
Table 3
Univariable analysis for OS and PFS for patients treated with R-CHOP(-like) regimens, n = 997
| Overall survival | Progression-free survival |
Characteristic | HR | 95% CI | p-value | HR | 95% CI | p-value |
Sex (Male vs Female) | 1.38 | 1.09–1.75 | 0.0084 | 1.39 | 1.13–1.70 | 0.0020 |
Age (> 60 vs ≤ 60) | 2.11 | 1.66–2.69 | < 0.0001 | 1.53 | 1.24–1.89 | 0.0001 |
ECOG Performance Status (2–4 vs 0–1) | 4.73 | 2.68–8.34 | < 0.0001 | 3.90 | 2.36–6.42 | < 0.0001 |
Stage (III-IV vs I-II) | 2.15 | 1.69–2.74 | < 0.0001 | 2.33 | 1.89–2.87 | < 0.0001 |
B-Symptoms (Present vs Absent) | 1.67 | 1.28–2.17 | 0.0001 | 1.51 | 1.20–1.91 | 0.0004 |
LDH (Raised vs Not Raised) | 1.87 | 1.42–2.46 | < 0.0001 | 1.62 | 1.28–2.07 | 0.0001 |
Extranodal sites (> 1 vs ≤ 1) | 1.87 | 1.41–2.47 | < 0.0001 | 1.62 | 1.27–2.07 | 0.0001 |
IPI Risk Groups | | | < 0.0001 | | | < 0.0001 |
Cell Of Origin (Non-GCB vs GCB) | 1.31 | 1.02–1.69 | 0.0328 | 1.40 | 1.12–1.74 | 0.0029 |
HIVs status (Positive vs Negative) | 1.11 | 0.47–2.59 | 0.8134 | 0.99 | 0.47–2.98 | 0.9787 |
HBsAg (Positive vs Negative) | 1.28 | 0.81–2.01 | 0.2896 | 1.11 | 0.75–1.65 | 0.5883 |
Anti-HBc Total (Positive vs Negative) | 1.21 | 0.93–1.57 | 0.1513 | 1.10 | 0.88–1.39 | 0.3774 |
HCV Status (Positive vs Negative) | 0.87 | 0.38–1.99 | 0.7434 | 0.93 | 0.45–1.91 | 0.8376 |
MYC/BCL2 Double Expressor (Yes vs No) | 1.43 | 0.97–2.11 | 0.0714 | 1.62 | 1.15–2.29 | 0.0059 |
MYC Rearrangement (Present vs Absent) | 1.16 | 0.72–1.85 | 0.5425 | 1.10 | 0.73–1.66 | 0.6500 |
Both MYC and BCL2 Rearrangement (Present vs Absent) | 0.94 | 0.47–1.90 | 0.8681 | 1.35 | 0.71–2.54 | 0.3611 |
Both MYC and BCL6 Rearrangement (Present vs Absent) | 1.43 | 0.51–4.03 | 0.4970 | 1.45 | 0.60–3.49 | 0.4078 |
EBER (Positive vs Negative) | 0.65 | 0.32–1.30 | 0.2228 | 0.91 | 0.49–1.68 | 0.7627 |
For OS, male sex (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.09–1.75, p = 0.0084), age > 60 (HR 2.11, 95% CI 1.66–2.69, p = < 0.0001), ECOG performance status ≥ 2 (HR 4.73, 95% CI 2.68–8.34, p = < 0.0001), Stage III or IV (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.69–2.74, p = < 0.0001), presence of B-symptoms (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.28–2.17, p = 0.0001), raised LDH (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.42–2.46, p = < 0.0001), presence of extranodal sites (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.41–2.47, p = < 0.0001) and non-GCB cell of origin by Han’s algorithm (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.12–1.74, p = 0.0029) were all predictive of poorer outcomes on univariate analysis (Table 3).
Following multivariate analysis of significant clinicopathological parameters, male sex (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03–1.73, p = 0.0294), age > 60 (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.76–3.12, p < 0.0001), ECOG performance status ≥ 3 (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.53–3.36, p < 0.0001), Stage III-IV (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.42–2.59, p < 0.0001), presence of B-symptoms (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03–1.76, p = 0.0305) and raised LDH (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.09–2.31, p = 0.0161) were independently prognostic for worse OS (Table 4).
Table 4
Multivariable analysis for OS and PFS for patients treated with R-CHOP(-like) regimens, n = 997
| Overall survival | Progression-free survival |
Parameter | HR | 95% CI | p-value | HR | 95% CI | p-value |
Sex | | |
Female | 1 | 1.03–1.73 | 0.0294 | 1 | 1.16–2.38 | 0.0051 |
Male | 1.33 | 1.67 |
Age | | |
≤ 60 | 1 | 1.76–3.12 | < 0.0001 | 1 | 1.33–2.84 | 0.0006 |
> 60 | 2.35 | 1.95 |
ECOG Performance Status | | |
0–1 | 1 | 1.53–3.36 | < 0.0001 | 1 | 1.22–3.21 | 0.0054 |
2–4 | 2.27 | 1.98 |
Stage | | | | | | |
I-II | 1 | 1.42–2.59 | < 0.0001 | 1 | 1.28–2.87 | 0.0015 |
III-IV | 1.92 | | | 1.92 | | |
B-Symptoms | | | | | | |
Absent | 1 | 1.03–1.76 | 0.0305 | 1 | 0.99–2.06 | 0.0574 |
Present | 1.34 | | | 1.43 | | |
LDH | | | | | | |
Not Raised | 1 | 1.09–2.31 | 0.0161 | - | - | - |
Raised | 1.58 | | | | | |
MYC/BCL2 Double Expressor | | | | | | |
Absent | - | - | - | 1 | 1.02–2.03 | 0.0404 |
Present | | | | 1.43 | | |
In the intermediate to high-risk subgroup (IPI scores 2–5; n = 752), the 5-year OS and PFS were only 69.8% and 58.0%, respectively (Fig. 1). EBV status, MYC and/or BCL2 rearrangements were not significantly associated with survival outcomes.
MYC rearrangement and Double-hit DLBCL
For patients treated with R-CHOP(-like) regimens, EPOCH-R was used more frequently than R-CHOP in patients with MYC rearrangements (n = 82, p < 0.0001), including those with MYC/BCL2 double-hit genetics (n = 31, p < 0.0001). Patients with MYC rearrangements achieved a 5-year OS of 70.7%, while those with both MYC and BCL2 rearrangements achieved a 5-year OS of 76.6% (Fig. 2).
Notably, neither immunochemotherapy regimen significantly affected survival outcomes, both in MYC-rearranged (PFS: HR 0.60, p = 0.1704; OS: HR 0.49, p = 0.0852), and in MYC/BCL2 double-hit DLBCL (PFS: HR 1.30, p = 0.6433; OS: HR 1.02, p = 0.9803) (Fig. 3).