Evaluation of treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma using plasma D-dimer levels

Abstract

Objective It has been documented that D-dimer levels have potential utility as a measure of tumor activity in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), however whether it can be used as a predictive marker of treatment outcome has not been established. This study means to retrospectively evaluate the role of D-dimer in prediction of treatment efficacy in patients with DLBCL. Materials and methods 151 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL were enrolled. Blood samples were taken from those patients during the initial visit to our hospital and again after two cycles of chemotherapy to measure D-dimer levels. The link between plasma D-dimer concentrations and patients' clinical characteristics was explored before and after treatment. Results Patients showed statistically different plasma D-dimer levels at initial consultation across the four treatment-response groups [ complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD)]. Those in CR group had significantly lower D-dimer levels at initial consultation than those in PR and PD groups (p < 0.05). After chemotherapy, the PR group had considerably lower D-dimers than the SD and PD groups did (p < 0.05). The D-dimer difference percentage was lower in PR group than that in PD group (p < 0.05). Conclusion Patients who respond well to chemotherapy typically exhibit lower D-dimer levels at the initial diagnosis. Those in the SD or PD groups usually experience a greater increase in D-dimer levels following chemotherapy. Consequently, variations in plasma D-dimer levels before and after treatment may offer valuable insights for evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy treatment.