Prognostic value of lymphocyte homing receptor and S phase fraction in
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
S Jalkanen, H Joensuu and P Klemi
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, Finland.
Lymphocyte homing receptors (HRs) mediate lymphocyte binding to high
endothelial venules, and control their circulation between the blood and
the lymphoid organs. The role of HRs and nuclear DNA content in the spread
and prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was studied from paraffin-embedded
tumor sections of 104 patients followed-up for the minimum of 5 years after
the diagnosis. HR expression was analyzed by staining with a monoclonal
antibody, Hermes-3, and DNA content by flow cytometry. Ten (10%) lymphomas
were HR negative (HR-), 14 (13%) weakly (HR+/-), and 80 (77%) strongly
positive (HR+). HR- lymphomas disseminated less often than HR+/- or HR+
lymphomas (P = .03), and their prognosis was more favorable (P = .03),
although they often had a large S phase fraction (SPF), indicating a rapid
proliferation rate. A large SPF (greater than 12%) was strongly associated
with an unfavorable histologic type in Working Formulation (P = .0001) and
poor survival (P = .006), whereas DNA aneuploidy was not. The 5-year
survival rate corrected for intercurrent deaths was 61% in lymphomas with
SPF less than 12% or with HR-, but only 15% if SPF was greater than 12% and
HR+ (P less than .0001). In multivariate analysis stage (P less than .001),
SPF (P = .002) and HR (P = .003) were the only independent prognostic
factors.
Volume 75,
Issue 7,
pp. 1549-1556,
04/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Hematology
