Objective: To evaluate the impact of FcgammaRIIIA gene polymorphism on the response to rituximab therapy in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
Methods: Thirty-four patients with newly diagnosed, histologically proven CD20-positive DLBL received rituximab combined chemotherapy (CHOP regimen) for 6 - 8 courses of 21 days. Peripheral blood samples were collected from these 34 patients and 20 healthy blood donors. PCR was used to detect the FcgammaRIIIA polymorphisms. The initial efficacy was evaluated based on the criteria for non-Hodgkin lymphoma by International Working Group.
Results: The FcgammaRIIIA phenotypes of the 34 patients included VV type (n = 11), FF type (n = 5), and VF type (n = 18). After 6 courses of rituximab treatment combined with chemotherapy, the overall response rate was 79%, and the response rates were 82% and 83% in the VV type and VF type patients respectively, both significantly higher than that in the FF type patients (60%, P = 0.04).
Conclusion: The most common FcgammaRIIIA polymorphism in DLCL is VF type, followed by VV and FF types. The patients with FcgammaRIIIA VV and VF types are more sensitive to the initial treatment of rituximab combined with chemotherapy compared to the patients with FF type.