Transforming growth factor β type II receptor as a marker in diffuse large B cell lymphoma

The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and significance of the transforming growth factor β type II receptor (TGFβRII) in diffuse large B cell lymphoma. All patients were enrolled at the First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University between 2001 and 2007. The median follow-up period was 53.3 months. Of the 338 patients studied, 131 (38.76 %) had TGFβRII positive expression on immunohistochemistry. The 5 year survival rate was significantly higher in patients with TGFβRII expression than in those without TGFβRII expression (40.3 vs. 31.6 %, P = 0.041). Multivariate analysis identified TGFβRII expression as an independent predictive parameter for survival, in addition to lactate dehydrogenase, clinical stage, and histologic subtype. TGFβRII expression may be considered a new prognostic factor of diffuse large B cell lymphoma.