Richter’s transformation in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a Nationwide Epidemiological Study

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Yasmin Ben-Dali
  • Mariam H. Hleuhel
  • Caspar da Cunha-Bang
  • Christian Brieghel
  • Christian B. Poulsen
  • Erik Clasen-Linde
  • Hans H.N. Bentzen
  • Henrik Frederiksen
  • Ilse Christiansen
  • Linda H. Nielsen
  • Lisbeth Enggaard
  • Marie Helleberg
  • Michael Clausen
  • Mikael Frederiksen
  • Robert S. Pedersen
  • Niemann, Carsten
  • Michael A. Andersen

Richter’s transformation (RT) refers to the development of an aggressive lymphoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Approximately, 2–10% of patients with CLL develop RT, most often as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. To assess the incidence of RT, we examined risk factors for RT and death among patients with RT in a nationwide CLL cohort (from 2008 to 2016). Among 3772 patients, 113 had biopsy-proven RT. With a median follow-up of 4.3 years, the 5-year cumulative incidence of RT was 2.8%. Advanced Binet stage (B/C) (p<.001), unmutated IGHV (p<.001), and del(17p) (p<.001) were independently associated with risk of developing RT. Half of the patients with RT (49%) were treatment-naïve prior to transformation and demonstrated longer survival after RT compared to patients previously treated for CLL (6.1 vs. 2.8 years, p=.03). Whether this finding could be explained by a higher proportion of clonally unrelated RT among treatment-naïve patients, remain to be addressed.

Original languageEnglish
JournalLeukemia and Lymphoma
Volume61
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)1435-1444
Number of pages10
ISSN1042-8194
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

    Research areas

  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, prognostication, Richter’s transformation

ID: 258323892