Pretreatment Hemoglobin Adds Prognostic Information To The NCCN-IPI In Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated With Anthracycline-Containing Chemotherapy

Michael R Clausen,1 Matthew J Maurer,2 Sinna Pilgaard Ulrichsen,3 Thomas S Larsen,4 Bodil Himmelstrup,5 Dorthe Rønnov-Jessen,6 Brian K Link,7 Andrew L Feldman,8 Susan L Slager,2 Grzegorz S Nowakowski,9 Carrie A Thompson,9 Per Trøllund Pedersen,10 Jakob Madsen,11 Robert S Pedersen,12 Jette Sønderskov Gørløv,13 James R Cerhan,2 Mette Nørgaard,1 Francesco D’Amore1 1Department of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 2Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; 3Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; 4Department of Hematology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; 5Department of Hematology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark; 6Department of Hematology, Sygehus Lillebaelt, Vejle, Denmark; 7Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; 8Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; 9Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; 10Department of Hematology, Sydvestjysk Sygehus, Esbjerg, Denmark; 11Department of Hematology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; 12Department of Hematology, Hospitalsenheden Vest, Holstebro, Denmark; 13Department of Hematology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, DenmarkCorrespondence: Michael R ClausenDepartment of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Blvd 35, Aarhus, DenmarkEmail mrc@clin.au.dkBackground: Hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration at diagnosis is associated with outcome in cancer. In a recently reported simplified 3-factor prognostic score in Hodgkin lymphoma, Hgb, along with age and clinical stage, outperformed the classical International Prognostic Score with seven parameters.Methods: In the present study, we investigated if pretherapeutic Hgb concentration added prognostic information to the NCCN-IPI in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We included patients fr