Outcome of Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma with Second-line Chemotherapy...

Treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is difficult. The de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma has better prognosis than the transformed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The response of CHOP or a similar regimen has an important role in determining response to salvage therapy, in relapse or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. Patients who are non-responder to initial treatment have a very poor chance of responding to therapy for relapse. This was a small scale observational study and was conducted from January 2017 to December 2020 in National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Bangladesh. A total of 34 patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were identified at hematology department in National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, 28 of them were treated with ICE chemotherapy and 6 with R-ICE chemotherapy as second line regimen. Overall response rate to 2nd line chemotherapy was 64.8%, with 32.4% (11 patients) complete remission and 32.4% (11 patients) partial remission. Median overall survival to second line regimen was 10 months, corresponding to a 4 year overall survival of 32.4% and a 4 year progression free survival was 17.6%. Patient with stable disease/progressive disease median overall survival was 7 months compared with 15 months for complete remission and 9 months for partial remission (p<0.001). Median overall survival was significantly better in patients with international prognostic index 0-2 compared in those with international prognostic index >2 (p=0.010). However improvement of salvage efficacy is an urgent need with new drugs. Further studies are necessary to determine whether this regimen will improve outcomes of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients.