Assessing the prognostic scoring models to predict patient outcomes in AIDS‐related diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

Abstract

To the Editor Lymphomas remain a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality for HIV infected patients, and have increased incidence even in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and AIDS-related diffuse large B cell lymphoma (AR-DLBCL) is one of the most common AIDS-related lymphoma subtypes. 1 To date, data regarding prognostic markers of patients with AR-DLBCL is scarce, and no specific prognostic model exists for these patients. Simple and accessible prognostic models must be developed for patients with AR-DLBCL risk stratification. A recent study investigated the prognostic risk factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in AR-DLBCL, and first constructed prognostic models for risk stratification of AR-DLBCL patients. 2 The OS prognostic model comprises indicators such as central nervous system (CNS) involvement, lymphoma diagnosis with opportunistic infection (OI), and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The indicators that make up the PFS prognostic model include CNS involvement, diagnosis of lymphoma with OI, elevated LDH, and more than four cycles of chemotherapy. These prognostic indicators were clinically simple and readily available, and the prognostic scoring models could stratify patients with AR-DLBCL for prognostic determinations and might have implications for clinical decisionmaking. A subgroup analysis of patients with diverse clinical and molecular characteristics, including age, tumor stage, and molecular subtypes, was performed to mandate the stratification of the patient cohort and repetition of the statistical analyses for each subgroup.