Treatment outcomes and clinical relevance of the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index in Korean follicular lymphoma patients treated with chemotherapy

• Published in: The Korean journal of internal medicine Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 560 - 569
• Main Authors: Maeng, Chi Hoon, Ahn, Sung Woo, Ryu, Seong-Yoon, Han, Sungjun, Ko, Young Hyeh, Ji, Jun Ho, Kim, Won Seog, Kim, Seok Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Association of Internal Medicine 01.05.2016; 대한내과학회
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Databases, Factual; Decision Support Techniques; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lymphoma, Follicular - diagnosis; Lymphoma, Follicular - drug therapy; Lymphoma, Follicular - epidemiology; Lymphoma, Follicular - mortality; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Predictive Value of Tests; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; 내과학; Follicular lymphoma; Index; Prognosis
• ISSN: 1226-3303; 2005-6648
• DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2014.222

The Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) and FLIPI2 are well-known prognostic models for patients with follicular lymphoma (FL). However, their prognostic relevance has not been examined before in Korean patients with FL. We reviewed clinical and laboratory information from our database of patients between 1995 and 2012. In total, 125 patients were stratified in three categories according to FLIPI or FLIPI2 scores: low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. We compared FLIPI and FLIPI2 in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Among the 125 patients, the prognostic value of FLIPI and FLIPI2 was evaluated in 73 patients who fulfilled the criteria of both prognostic models. Risk stratification by FLIPI and FLIPI2 showed significant differences in unfavorable parameters among each risk group, particularly between low- and intermediate-risk groups. The high-risk group b was significantly associated with poor PFS on both FLIPI and FLIPI2 (p < 0.05). However, the OS was significantly different only in the risk groups determined by FLIPI2 (p = 0.042). In a subgroup analysis of patients who received rituximab-containing chemotherapy, the risk stratification of both prognostic models showed a significant impact on PFS, especially in the low-risk group. FLIPI and FLIPI2 are appropriate prognostic models in Korean FL patients, especially for discriminating low-risk patients from intermediate- and high-risk groups.