Prognostic significance of Fas (CD95/APO‐1) positivity in patients with primary nodal diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

Abstract

Fas (CD95/APO-1) is a protein that is mainly related to apoptosis of lymphoid cells. The increment of Fas expression is associated with long-term survival in various malignancies. However, there are limited studies regarding the effect of Fas expression on the course and prognosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of immunohistochemical Fas expression on the prognosis of nodal diffuse large Bcell lymphoma.A total of 63 patients with primary nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma diagnosed in the Erciyes University Department of Hematology between 1990 and 2003 were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 55 years old (range 19-102 years old). The median follow-up period was 19 months (2-132 months). Histopathological sections were stained immunohistochemically and evaluated by light microscopy for Fas, bcl-2, and p53. Clinical and laboratory parameters including Fas, bcl-2, and p53 positivity, age, sex, performance status, clinical stage, presence of B symptoms, bone marrow involvement, extranodal involvement, and lactic dehydrogenase levels were evaluated to compare overall survival.Complete remission was obtained in 28 patients (44.4%) after first-line chemotherapy. Fas positivity, male gender, good performance status, clinical stage I-II, absence of B symptoms, normal lactic dehydrogenase value, and absence of bone marrow involvement were favorable prognostic factors for complete remission in statistical analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that positive Fas expression and ECOG performance status were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Also, Fas-positive patiens had significantly prolonged progression-free survival.Immunohistochemical Fas positivity was a favorable prognostic factor for complete remission and overall and progression-free survival in primary nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Am. J. Hematol. 81:307-314, 2006. V V C 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The importance of CD39, CD43, CD81, and CD95 expression for differentiating B cell lymphoma by flow cytometry

“…FL, GCB and non-GCB DLBCL showed a heterogeneous expression of CD95, while a low expression was observed in BL. Concerning DLBCL, CD95 expression is associated with a favorable prognosis, reflecting in higher overall survival rates (27,28). Similarly to the results found in this study, Nguyen and colleagues (1996) observed that lowgrade lymphomas, as FL, expressed CD95 more intensively when compared to high-grade lymphomas, as BL (29).…”

“…Concerning DLBCL, CD95 expression is associated with a favorable prognosis, reflecting in higher overall survival rates (27,28). Concerning DLBCL, CD95 expression is associated with a favorable prognosis, reflecting in higher overall survival rates (27,28).…”

The role of CD95 and CD95 ligand in cancer

“…85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 This is likely owing to the fact that CD95 is often downregulated during tumor progression because cancer cells need to lower the risk of undergoing apoptosis while benefiting from CD95's tumorigenic activities. Occasionally, CD95L was also described as a positive prognostic marker for cancer.…”

Up‐regulation of Fas (CD95) expression in tumour cells in vivo

“…in negative selection) 1,2 and in the termination of the immune response 3 . Fas is considered also to play a role in tumour formation, progression, and immunity 4–7 as well as in tumour responses to anticancer drugs 8,9 . Fas is expressed both in lymphoid and non‐lymphoid normal and malignant tissues.…”