BCL6 Rearrangement Indicates Poor Prognosis in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Patients: A Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies

BCL6 (3q27) rearrangement is the most frequent chromosomal abnormality in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Previously, studies on the association between BCL6 rearrangement and DLBCL outcome remain controversial. Here we systematically reviewed literatures to identify the prognostic significance of BCL6 rearrangement in DLBCL. Meta-analytic methods are used to obtain pooled estimates of the association between BCL6 rearrangement and prognosis in DLBCL patients treated with different chemotherapy regimens. A total of 22 studies are enrolled in the cohort, involving 3037 patients. BCL6 rearrangement is verified to be negatively associated with overall survival (OS) (HR=1.36, p=0.000), but not with progression-free survival (PFS). Moreover, the subgroup analyses show that BCL6 rearrangement is prognostic only in DLBCLs treated with rituximab-containing regimens.