Prognostic Impact of ABO Blood Group on Survival in Patients With Malignant Lymphoma

Abstract

Background: The ABO blood group is reported to be associated with survival for several types of malignancy. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the prognostic significance of the ABO blood group in patients with malignant lymphoma.

Patients and methods: A total of 523 patients with malignant lymphoma were included in this study. The primary outcome measured was the association between the ABO blood group and survival.

Results: Patients with blood group B had shorter 5-year overall survival (OS) than patients with non-B blood groups (40.9% vs. 57.3%; P < .01). Among 240 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), patients with blood group B had shorter 5-year OS in comparison with patients with non-B blood groups (36.3% vs. 56.9%; P < .01). Among male patients with DLBCL, those with blood group B had significantly shorter 5-year OS than those with non-B blood groups (27.5% vs. 55.8%; P = .003). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the survival between female patients with blood group B and those with non-B blood groups (5-year OS: 49.2% vs. 58.2%; P = .67). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that blood group B (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-2.78; P = .04) was an independent predictor of shorter OS in male patients with DLBCL.

Conclusion: The ABO blood group is associated with survival in patients with lymphoma. Interestingly, only male patients with DLBCL with blood group B had significantly shorter OS than those male patients with DLBCL with non-B blood groups.

Keywords: ABO blood group; Blood group B; Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; Overall survival; Prognosis.