Clinical features, outcome and prognostic factors of 87 patients with angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma in Taiwan.

Abstract

We retrospectively analyzed 87 patients with angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) in Taiwan. The median age was 68 (range 18-89)years. Of these patients, 74% was at an advanced stage. The most common extra-nodal site involved was bone marrow (36%). Of these patients, 77% were International Prognostic Index (IPI) >1 and 79% had a prognostic index for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PIT) >1. Of 75 patients who received systemic chemotherapy, the complete remission rate was 60%, the relapse rate was 47%, and the 2-year progression-free survival rate was 37.4%. The 2-year overall survival (OS) rate for all patients was 51.9%. By multivariate analysis, bone marrow involvement (P<0.001) and ECOG >1 (P=0.007) were independent adverse factors for OS. A simplified prognostic index efficiently stratified patients into the following three groups: 2-year OS rates 79.8% (0 factor), 28.3% (1 factor), and 10.2% (2 factors) by using bone marrow involvement and ECOG >1 (P<0.001). In conclusion, AITL patients were older and had poorer prognosis in Taiwan. Bone marrow involvement, EOCG >1, IPI >1 and PIT >1 had adverse impact on OS. The usefulness of this simplified prognostic index needs further validation.