Influence of MBL-2 mutations in the infection risk of patients with follicular lymphoma treated with rituximab, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide

Abstract

The employment of current treatments based on chemotherapy and immunotherapy leads to inmunosuppression. The presence of mutations or polymorphisms in genes related to immune system might involve an additional disadvantage. The aim of the present study was to analyze mannose-binding lectin (MBL-2 gene) mutations and their association with severe infections and event-free survival in patients diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, treated uniformly, in the clinical trial LNHF-03. The results of this trial showed impressive clinical efficacy but was complicated with 80 documented infectious episodes. Patients were classified into two genotypic groups, AA and AO/OO, based on their haplotypic inheritance. Neither the number of infectious episodes nor differences in event-free survival was found as a function of MBL-2 groups. Other factors, including the lymphoma malignancy and the immune alterations associated with the disease, should be considered responsible for this observation.