A genomics-based method of subtyping diffuse large B cell lymphoma could improve prognostic predictions and identification of subtype-appropriate treatment regimens.
Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is clinically and genetically heterogeneous and roughly 40% of patients do not respond to the standard combination chemotherapy consisting of Rituxan rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP).
Much of the biology differentiating responsive and non-responsive DLBCL patients remains unknown but may be explained by differences in genetic alterations that arise in these patients. The alterations are diverse and include somatic mutations, chromosomal translocations and copy number alterations; however, according to Margaret Shipp, a professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, most DLBCL...