Abstract
BackgroundFatty acid metabolism is reportedly associated with various cancers. However, the role of pretreatment serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) prognosis is still unclear, and our study aimed to better elucidate its influence on clinical outcomes.MethodsThe medical records of 221 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients admitted to Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 2011 to December 2016 were analysed retrospectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine a cut-off value for pretreatment serum FFA levels for prognostic prediction in DLBCL patients. The relationship between pretreatment serum FFA levels and clinical and laboratory parameters was analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).ResultsNewly diagnosed DLBCL patients with high pretreatment serum FFA levels (≥0.495 mmol/l) had more B symptoms, higher serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (> upper limit of normal), >1 extranodal site, and higher International Prognostic Index score (3–5) compared to those with low pretreatment serum FFA levels (<0.495 mmol/l). Higher serum FFA levels were independent prognostic factors for poor OS, but not PFS.ConclusionsHigh pretreatment serum FFA levels are associated with lower survival in untreated DLBCL patients.
Highlights
Fatty acid metabolism is reportedly associated with various cancers
Previous studies report that age and sex may be potential confounding factors in assessing the risk for metabolic disturbance using Free fatty acids (FFAs) biomarkers [34], our results showed that there was no difference in pretreatment serum FFAs among diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients who belonged to different age or sex groups
We demonstrated the clinical significance of pretreatment serum FFA levels in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL
Summary
The role of pretreatment serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) prognosis is still unclear, and our study aimed to better elucidate its influence on clinical outcomes. The addition of rituximab to the standard chemotherapy regimen has dramatically improved the outcomes of DLBCL patients; several studies showed that the IPI could not effectively predict the prognosis of DLBCL patients. The revised IPI and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network IPI (NCCNIPI) were generated [4, 5]. None of these indexes could precisely predict DLBCL patient prognosis [6, 7]. It is necessary to identify other factors in patients with DLBCL as predictors of prognosis
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