Wang, Alice H.

Abstract Background: Inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase (“statins”) are effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Preclinical data from rodents suggested that they may increase the incidence of some cancers, including lymphoma. However, monitoring of randomized trials in humans have generally found decreased cancer risks, and these findings have been supported by a growing number of observational studies, including three recent reports of a protective association in NHL. The suggested anti-carcinogenic mechanisms for statins include their impact on inflammatory (including a shift from a Th1 to Th2 profile) and angiogenesis pathways, as well as the induction of apoptosis by modulation of signaling pathways, all of which are of biologic relevance in NHL. Methods: We evaluated the history of statin use and risk of NHL in a clinic-based study of 243 newly diagnosed NHL cases and 499 frequency matched controls enrolled at the Mayo Clinic from 2002-2005. Risk factor data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, and included history of use of cholesterol lowering drugs two or more years before diagnosis (for cases) or enrollment (for controls); specific drug names were not available. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, gender, and residence. NHL subtypes were centrally reviewed, and subtype-specific risks were estimated using polychotomous logistic regression. Results. The mean age at diagnosis was 59.5 years for cases and 55% were men; among controls, the mean age at enrollment was 61.8 years and 54% were men. Twenty-one percent of the cases reported ever using statins compared to 30% of the controls, supporting a lower risk of NHL for ever users (OR=0.69; 95% CI 0.47–1.00). The lowest risk was seen for the longest users; i.e., compared to never users, person who had 10 or more years of use had the greatest reduction in risk (OR=0.52; 95% CI 0.24–1.10). A history of high cholesterol was also inversely associated with risk of NHL (OR=0.72; 95% CI 0.55–0.93). However, the association for the type of treatment for cholesterol lowering varied. Those who were medically treated had inverse association with risk of NHL (OR=0.63; 95% CI 0.46–0.86), while the no treatment and dietary change only groups were found to have no association with risk. The reduction in NHL risk with medical treatment was specific to statin use, as the use of other cholesterol lowering drugs was not associated with risk (OR=1.13; 95% CI 0.50–2.57). These results were not confounded by education, family history of NHL, body mass index, cigarette smoking or alcohol use. In subtype analysis, the inverse association was seen for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR=0.27; 95% CI 0.08–0.90), but not for CLL/SLL or follicular NHL. Conclusions. Statin use was associated with a lower risk of developing NHL, particular diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma.

Abstract Background: B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are common lymphoid malignancies in which malignant B-cells arrested at various stages of differentiation proliferate within lymph nodes and occasionally other tissues. The microenvironment that supports the growth and survival of NHL B cells consists of a complex network of immune cells and cytokines and its specific composition has been shown to have significant clinical implications. The intratumoral immune cells include effector and regulatory T (Treg) lymphocytes that are more than simple residual elements from the normal lymph node structure. We previously explored whether the extent of T cell infiltration played a role in the clinical outcome of patients with B-cell NHL and found that an increased percentage of CD4+ T cells in the diagnostic biopsy of lymphoma patients significantly correlated with an improved 5-year overall survival. We have also shown that intratumoral Treg cells significantly suppress the anti-tumor response. Based on the fact that intratumoral T-cells are important in B-cell NHL, we evaluated whether genetic variation in genes that regulate the T-cell response may be associated with lymphoma risk. Methods: We genotyped 257 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 50 candidate genes related to T-cell differentiation and function in a clinic-based study of 441 Caucasian NHL cases and 475 frequency matched Caucasian controls seen at the Mayo Clinic from 2002–2005. Tagging and nsSNPs were selected from HapMap. The most prevalent homozygous genotype was used as the reference group and each SNP was modeled individually as having a log-additive effect, expressed as ordinal odds ratios (OR) per variant allele and 95% confidence intervals, in an age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression analysis. We also evaluated the consistency of the findings for the most common types of B-cell NHL - diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and CLL/SLL. For gene-level analyses, we used principal components (PC) analysis using all SNPs from a gene; those PCs that explained > 90% of the variability were then modeled in a logistic regression analysis and significance was determined using a likelihood ratio test. We also evaluated the association of haplotypes from each gene with risk of NHL using the score test implemented from HAPLO.SCORE. Results. The mean age at diagnosis was 60.1 years for cases and 58% were male; among controls, the mean age at enrollment was 61.7 years and 55% were men. In the PC gene analyses, PRF1 (perforin gene - involved in cytotoxicity; p=0.004), CD276 (B7-H3 gene - involved in co-stimulation; p=0.01), TBX21 (T-bet gene – regulates Th1 cell development; p=0.02), and IL6 (p=0.02) were significant at p<0.05; haplotype analysis showed similar results, with the addition of CARD15 (NOD2 gene – regulates Th1 responses; p=0.02). There were 2 SNPs in PRF1, and both the intronic SNP rs3758562 (OR=1.38; 1.13–1.69) and the synonymous coding SNP rs885821 (OR=0.80; 0.63–1.02) were associated with NHL risk overall and for each subtype. There were 2 SNPs in CD276, and both the intronic SNP rs7176654 (OR=1.29; 1.07–1.56) and the mrna-utr SNP rs3816661 (OR=0.82; 0.68–0.99) were associated with NHL risk overall and with the CLL/SLL and follicular NHL subtypes specifically. There were 2 SNPs in TBX21, and only the mrna-utr SNP rs7502875 (OR=0.73; 0.59–0.92) was associated with NHL risk overall and for each subtype. There were 11 SNPs in IL6, and the intronic SNP rs2069835 (OR=1.88; 1.24–2.84) and the locus-region SNP rs2069824 (OR=1.73; 1.20–2.50) were each associated with NHL risk overall and each subtype. Finally, there were 9 SNPs in CARD15, with only the nonsynonymous coding SNP rs5743291 (OR=1.43; 1.02–1.98) being associated with overall NHL risk, and risk was specific to FL. Conclusions. Genetic variation in several genes that play critical roles in T-cell maturation and function was associated with lymphoma risk. These genes appeared to be associated with the differentiation and function of effector T-cells particularly Th1 and Th17 cells. These results provide potentially important insights into the role of T-cells in lymphomagenesis.

Abstract Background: Reactive oxygen species cause DNA damage and altered immunologic responses, and have been linked to the development of NHL. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of antioxidants, and vitamins C, E, polyphenols, and carotenoids, along with selected micronutrients such as zinc are thought to be responsible for most of the antioxidant activity in foods. We evaluated the hypothesis that vegetables, fruits and nutrients involved in antioxidant activity would protect against developing NHL. In a secondary analysis, we also assessed heterogeneity of this hypothesis for the most common subtypes of NHL: chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), follicular lymphoma, and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods: We evaluated dietary antioxidant intake and NHL risk in a clinic-based study of 416 newly diagnosed NHL cases and 926 frequency-matched controls enrolled at the Mayo Clinic from 2002–2007. Usual diet two years before diagnosis/enrollment was assessed using a self-administered, 128-item food frequency questionnaire. Dietary intake of antioxidants was estimated using the Food Processor SQL system, further supplemented with data from US Department of Agriculture nutrient databases. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for age, sex, residence, and total energy. NHL subtypes were centrally reviewed, and subtype-specific risks were estimated using polychotomous logistic regression. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 60.8 years for cases and 57% were male; for controls, the mean age at enrollment was 60.8 years and 54% were men. NHL risk was inversely associated with intake of total vegetables (OR for highest compared to lowest quartile, 0.46; 95% CI 0.32–0.68; p-trend<0.001), and specifically green leafy (OR=0.54; 95% CI 0.39–0.76; p-trend<0.001) and cruciferous (OR=0.62; 95% CI 0.43–0.88; p-trend=0.02) vegetables, but not legumes or red/yellow/orange vegetables. There was no association with total fruit intake or intake of citrus fruits in particular. When modeled together, the association for green leafy vegetables was unchanged while the association for cruciferous vegetables attenuated (OR=0.75; 95% CI 0.50–1.13; p-trend=0.3). Higher intake of total vitamin A (OR=0.60; 95% CI 0.41–0.88; p-trend<0.001) and vitamin E (OR=0.53; 95% CI 0.34–0.82; p-trend<0.001), but not vitamin C, were associated with lower NHL risk. For vitamin A, there was no association with preformed Vitamin A, but there was an inverse association with beta-carotene (OR=0.56; 95% CI 0.39–0.81; p-trend<0.001); only weak inverse associations were observed for other carotenoids (lutein/zeaxanthin, lycopene, and cryptoxanthin). When modeled together, the inverse association for vitamin E was unchanged while the association for beta-carotene attenuated. For micronutrients, there were inverse associations for manganese (OR=0.60; 95% CI 0.40–0.90; p-trend=0.02), selenium (OR=0.47; 95% CI 0.27–0.80; p-trend=0.01), and zinc (OR=0.46; 95% CI 0.27–0.80; p-trend<0.001) but not copper; when modeled simultaneously, both manganese (p-trend=0.03) and zinc (p-trend=0.02) remained significantly and inversely associated with NHL risk. Further adjustment for education, family history of NHL, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index did not alter these results. There was no NHL subtype heterogeneity for the associations with total vegetables, green leafy vegetables or vitamin E, while inverse associations were not observed for manganese and follicular lymphoma or zinc and CLL/SLL. Conclusion: Higher intakes of vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables, vitamin E, manganese, and zinc were associated with lower risk of NHL. These finding extend a growing literature from case-control and cohort studies that support a protective role of foods and nutrients that function in antioxidant related pathways against development of NHL, and therefore may represent one of the few known modifiable risk factors for this cancer.

Abstract Background: Elevated serum BLyS levels have been found in patients with both malignant and autoimmune diseases when compared to those of healthy donors, suggesting that BLyS may play a pathogenic role. While it is clear that BLyS expression is required for normal B cell development and homeostasis, the mechanistic details underlying control of BLyS expression remain to be defined. In previous work we found that a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the BLyS promoter (−871C→T) resulted in increased BLyS transcription suggesting that genetic variation in the BLyS gene may influence its expression. Because elevated BLyS levels have been detected in patients with NHL we wanted to determine if additional SNPs in the BLyS gene were associated with high serum BLyS levels and risk of developing of NHL. Methods: We genotyped 9 tagSNPs within the BLyS gene in a clinic-based study of 441 incident Caucasian NHL cases and 475 frequency matched Caucasian controls seen at the Mayo Clinic from 2002–2005. We evaluated the association of individual SNPs as well as haplotypes from the BLyS gene with risk of NHL. We also jointly tested the main effects for all independent (r2<0.25) SNPs using a multivariate logistic regression (MLR) model. As a secondary analysis, for those SNPs showing significant results (< 5% significance), we evaluated associations between those who had all high risk alleles at the SNPs of interest compared to those who had all low risk alleles at the SNPs of interest. Additionally, we evaluated serum BLyS levels by ELISA in these same subjects. Serum BLyS levels were detemined by ELISA. Results: In the individual single SNP logistic regression analysis, 3 of the 9 tagSNPs were significant at p<0.05. Haplotype and MLR results were nonsignificant. However, when we categorized participants into low and high risk groups based on risk alleles at the three statistically significant SNPs, we found the high risk variant had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.086 (p=0.0001) for risk of B-cell NHL. When the analysis was restricted by histologic subtype we found that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or follilcular lymphoma grade 3 had an OR of 3.163 (p=0.01), follicular lymphoma grade I/II had an OR= 2.547 (p=0.046), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) had an OR=1.238 (p=0.13). Because there was not a significant correlation of the high risk variant with CLL, we performed an additional analysis in which we included all B cell NHL cases excluding CLL and the OR was 2.799 (p=0.0001). We next wanted to determine if serum BLyS levels correlated with either the high or low risk variant. The mean serum BLyS level in those individuals (untreated cases and controls) who carried the low risk variant at all three SNPs was significantly lower (p=0.0061) at 1.3 ng/ml (n=25, range: undetectable-4.4 ng/ml) compared to 4.3 ng/ml in those with the high risk variant (n=74, range: undetectable- 66.8 ng/ml). Conclusions: In summary, we have found that genetic variation in the BLyS gene is significantly associated with an increased risk of developing B-cell NHL, particularly follicular and large B-cell lymphoma. Further, we found that genetic variation is also associated with an increase in serum BLyS levels.Taken together, our data further highlight the role of the BLyS gene in B cell malignancies and characterization of the precise genetic and environmental mechanisms that regulate BLyS may have significant clinical impact.

Abstract Abstract 3933 Poster Board III-869 Background Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) is a malignancy of lymphocytes with few known risk factors identified to date. Members of the BCL2 and caspase gene families are known regulators of programmed cell death in these cells, and the t(14;18)(q32;q21) is the most commonly observed chromosomal translocation in NHL, a somatic event which results in constitutive BCL2 expression and inhibition of apoptosis. Further, recent pooled analyses of three case-control studies reported gene level associations for both BCL2L11 (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18:1259) and CASP9 (Blood 2009;114:264) with NHL risk. We therefore evaluated the hypothesis that germline variation in genes from the apoptosis pathway is associated with risk of developing NHL. Methods We genotyped 226 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 36 candidate BCL2-family and capsase-family member genes within the apoptosis pathway in a clinic-based study of 441 newly diagnosed NHL cases (within 9 months of first NHL diagnosis) and 475 frequency matched controls from Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin who were seen at the Mayo Clinic from 2002-2005. Tagging SNPs were selected from HapMap for the following candidate genes: BCL2; BCLAF1; BCL2LA1; BCL2L1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14; BAD; BAX; BAG1, 3, 4, 5; BAK1; BID; BIK; BNIP2, 3; HRK; CASP1 – CASP10; APAF1; BIRC3; AIF1; and DFFB. Genotyping was completed using the ParAllele (now Affymetrix) Immune and Inflammation SNP panel, supplemented with 9 SNPs from a custom Illumina OPA. SNP call rate and per person call rate were >95% for all SNPs evaluated. The most prevalent homozygous genotype was used as the reference group, and each SNP was modeled individually as having a log-additive effect in a logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, and residence. We used principal components analysis to assess the association with NHL risk at the gene level. Genes at p<0.05 were declared statistically significant, as were SNPs at p<0.05 from significant genes. Results The mean age at diagnosis for cases was 60.1 years, and 58% were male; among controls, the mean age at enrollment into the study was 61.7 years, and 55% were male. The most common NHL subtypes were chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL, 29%), follicular lymphoma (FL, 27%), and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, 16%). In gene level analyses, BCL2L11 (also know as BIM) (p=0.0019), BLCAF1 (p=0.0097), BAG5 (p=0.026), and CASP9 (p=0.0022) were statistically significant at p<0.05. For BCL2L11, 2 of the 5 tagSNPs (both intronic) were significant at p<0.05 (rs6746608 and rs12613243). Both genotyped BCLAF1 tagSNPs (rs797558 and rs703193, both intronic) were significant, as was the single genotyped BAG5 tagSNP (rs7042474) from the non-coding region interval of an mRNA transcript. Three of the 7 genotyped CASP9 tagSNPs were significant (rs6685648, rs2020902, rs2042370, all intronic). Similar associations (as assessed by ordinal odds ratios) were observed for significant SNPs from BCLAF1, BAG5, BCL2L11 and CASP9 within the subtypes of CLL/SLL, FL, and DLBCL; however, caution is warranted in interpreting the subtype results due to small sample sizes. Conclusions Three genes from the BCL2 family (BCL2L11, BCLAF1, and BAG5) and one gene from the caspase family (CASP9) were associated with risk of NHL. This confirms gene level results for BCL2L11 and CASP9 in NHL overall and suggests a role for additional BCL2 family members in NHL etiology. In addition to extending these results to other populations, investigation of the functional significance of these genes and consideration of their upstream regulators and downstream targets should assist in clarifying the role of this pathway in lymphomagenesis. Furthermore, in the era of targeted therapeutics, identification of genetic variation in the apoptotic pathway may also assist in predicting prognosis as therapies targeting this pathway are developed. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract Abstract 996 Background: Treatment with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) has improved survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) lymphoma, although a significant percentage of patients do not achieve a remission or they relapse. One potential explanation for this observation is that host pharmacogenetic background may impact metabolism, detoxification and transport of R-CHOP. However, there are few prospectively collected data that address pharmacogenetics in DLBCL, particularly for event-free and overall survival in the rituximab era. We therefore tested the hypothesis that functional candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from genes involved in the metabolism of CHOP (CYP2C19, CYP3A5, ABCB1, ABCC2, ABCG2, RAC2, CYBA, NR3C1, GSTA1, GSTP1, TP53) and rituximab (FCGR2A, FCGR3A) influence prognosis in DLBCL. Methods: We genotyped 19 SNPs from 13 genes in a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed DLBCL patients with germline DNA enrolled at the Mayo Clinic and University of Iowa from 2002–2008 as part of the Molecular Epidemiology Resource of the Iowa/Mayo Lymphoma SPORE. All patients were systematically followed through 2009 for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS), defined as disease progression, retreatment or death due to any cause. All SNPs were genotyped on the Illumina Golden-Gate platform. Cox regression was used to estimate Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for individual SNPs with OS and EFS. Each SNP was modeled with the most prevalent homozygous genotype used as the reference group. An ordinal test was used to assess the trend across genotypes, and a p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. All Cox models adjusted for International Prognostic Index (IPI) and treatment. Results: The median age at diagnosis of the 439 DLBCL patients was 62 years (range 18–92). The IPI was distributed as follows: 0–1 (34%), 2 (26%), 3 (24%) and 4–5 (16%). All patients were treated with chemotherapy, and 91% received R-CHOP. Through 2009, there were 171 events (39%) and 122 (28%) deaths, with a median follow-up for living patients of 49 months (range 1–98). The SNP rs1045642 in the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein gene ABCB1 was associated with OS (p=0.012). The variant T allele for ABCB1 rs1045642 (minor allele frequency (MAF)=0.47) is associated with a silent I→I substitution, and the T allele predicts low enzyme expression. Compared to CC homozygotes, patients with CT (HR=0.66, 95% CI 0.44–0.99) or TT (HR=0.53, 95% CI 0.31–0.90) genotypes had superior OS. We also observed an association of the GSTP1 SNP rs1695 with OS (p-trend=0.018). The variant G allele (MAF of 0.31) is associated with an A→V substitution, and this change predicts low enzyme expression. Compared to AA homozygotes, patients with the AG (HR=0.78, 95% CI 0.54–1.14) or GG (HR=0.39, 95% CI 0.17–0.90) genotypes had superior OS. Nearly identical associations for these two SNPS were observed with EFS. There were no significant associations with any of the other SNPs that we evaluated. Conclusions: In a large series of newly diagnosed DLBCL patients treated in the rituximab era, we found evidence that genetic variation in ABCB1 and GSTP1 is associated with improved OS and EFS after adjusting for IPI and treatment. The variant allele for ABCB1 is associated with slower enzyme activity, favorably impacting doxorubicin and vincristine pharmacodynamics, and the variant allele for GSTP1 is associated with slower detoxification of doxorubicin and vincristine, increasing bioavailability of these drugs. A comprehensive evaluation of the role of pharmacogenetics in DLBCL is warranted. Support: P50 CA97274, R01 CA129539. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract Abstract 2702 Background: CXCR5 [chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 5; also known as Burkitt lymphoma receptor 1 (BCR1)] is expressed on mature B-cells, subsets of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, and skin-derived migratory dendritic cells. CXCL13 is the ligand for CXCR5, and together they are involved in guiding B-cells into the B-cell zones of secondary lymphoid organs as well as T-cell migration. CXCR5 is also expressed in malignant cells in NHL patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CXCR5 have not been extensively studied, although two studies reported that SNPs from this chromosome 11 gene were associated with risk of primary biliary cirrhosis in a European population and with risk of NHL in an Asian population. This study evaluated the role of common germline genetic variation in the risk and prognosis of the common NHL subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Methods: Ten SNPs in CXCR5 were genotyped using a clinic-based study of 2694 NHL cases (including 586 DLBCL, 588 FL, 137 MCL, 230 MZL, and 158 PTCL) and 1521 controls enrolled from 2002–2009 in the Molecular Epidemiology Resource of the University of Iowa/Mayo Clinic Lymphoma SPORE. Clinical data were abstracted for all NHL patients and all were prospectively followed for disease progression, retreatment, transformation and death. SNPs were selected from HapMap using a standard tagging approach (r2≥0.80 and minor allele frequency (MAF) ≥0.05) and included SNPs 5kb upstream and downstream from the gene. Genotyping was conducted using a custom Illumina iSelect panel. All SNPs were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the control group. The most prevalent homozygous genotype was used as the reference group, and each SNP was modeled as having a log-additive effect in the regression model. For risk of NHL, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using unconditional logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender. For prognosis, hazard ratios (HR) were calculated for both event-free (EFS) and overall (OS) survival using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for age, treatment type, and IPI (DLBCL, PTCL), FLIPI (FL), or MIPI (MCL). To determine risk of FL transformation to DLBCL, a competing risk Cox model was used. A p<0.05 was declared as statistically significant. Results: Of the 10 CXCR5 tag SNPs in our study, 5 were associated with risk of NHL, with rs1790192 (MAF=0.39 among controls) having the strongest association (OR=1.19, 95%CI 1.08–1.30; p=0.0003). This SNP was strongly associated with FL (OR=1.44, 95%CI 1.25–1.66; p=3.1×10−7), and was also associated with DLBCL (OR=1.16, 95%CI 1.01–1.33; p=0.038) and PTCL (OR=1.29, 95%CI 1.02–1.64; p=0.037) but not MCL or MZL. For FL, none of the SNPs were associated with EFS or OS, although rs1790192 was associated with better outcome among FL patients that were observed (HR=0.64; 95%CI 0.47–0.87; p=0.0039). For DLBCL, none of the SNPs were associated with EFS, while three SNPs were associated with OS: rs523604 (HR=0.79; 95%CI 0.64–0.97; p=0.028), rs12363277 (HR=0.57; 95%CI 0.33–0.99; p=0.046), and rs3922 (HR=0.79; 95%CI 0.65–0.97; p=0.027). The latter SNP was also associated with risk of transformation from FL to DLBCL (HR=0.61; 95%CI 0.40–0.91; p=0.016). For MCL, MZL and PTCL, none of the SNPs were associated with either EFS or OS. Conclusions: Several germline CXCR5 polymorphisms were associated with NHL risk, particularly rs1790192 with risk of FL as well as DLBCL and PTCL. CXCR5 SNPs did not appear to be important in prognosis for most NHL subtypes, although rs1790192 was associated with a better outcome in untreated FL and rs3922 was associated with OS in DLBCL patients and with risk of FL transformation. These results provide additional evidence for a role of host genetic variation in CXCR5 in lymphomagenesis, mainly in risk of disease development, although there may also be a role for CXCR5 in FL and DLBCL prognosis. Replications of these findings in additional studies are needed. Disclosures: Ansell: Seattle Genetics, Inc.: Research Funding.

Abstract Abstract 4127 Introduction: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive lymphoma. NF-κB has been shown to be constitutively activated in MCL cell lines and patient biopsy samples and may play a key role in the growth and survival of MCL cells. We previously reported in a pilot study of 39 MCL patients from the NCI-SEER Survival Study that host genetic variation in candidate TNF and NF-κB genes was associated with overall survival after accounting for clinical variables (Blood 2007;110(11):472a). Here, we attempt to replicate the top 8 genes (NFKB1, IRF4, TNFSF13B, TNFRSF25, NFKBIA, LTA/TNF, TRAF5, RELB) and associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in an independent sample of MCL patients. Methods: We genotyped 71 SNPs from 8 genes in a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed MCL patients with germline DNA enrolled at the Mayo Clinic and University of Iowa from 2002–2008 as part of the Molecular Epidemiology Resource of the Iowa/Mayo Lymphoma SPORE. All patients were systematically followed through 2009 for overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS, defined as disease progression, retreatment or death due to any cause). Genotyping was performed on an Illumina Golden-Gate platform. Cox regression was used to estimate Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for individual SNPs with OS and EFS. Each SNP was modeled with the most prevalent homozygous genotype used as the reference group. An ordinal test was used to assess the trend across genotype. A principal components methodology was used for gene-level analyses. All Cox models were adjusted for MIPI and treatment. We compared our results to the previously reported NCI-SEER study that included MCL patients diagnosed from 1998–2000. The NCI-SEER study had a median age at diagnosis of 64 years (range 38–74), 27 deaths (69%), and a median follow-up for living patients of 47 months (23-85 months). Replication was declared based on a p-trend<0.10 in the gene-level test or p-trend<0.10 in the SNP-level ordinal trend test and a HR of similar direction and magnitude to the NCI-SEER study result. Results: The median age at diagnosis of the 101 patients in the SPORE was 64 years (range 42–88), and by simplified MIPI score there were 38% low risk, 37% intermediate risk, and 26% high risk patients. The most common initial therapy was anthracycline-based chemotherapy ± rituximab (59%) with or without stem cell transplantation. Through 2009, there were 61 events (60%) and 31 (31%) deaths, with a median follow-up for living patients of 59 months (range 29–90). At the gene-level, none of the 8 genes replicated at p<0.10. However, at the SNP level, the genes with SNPs that replicated for OS included TRAF5 (rs3738199, rs6684874, rs12569232), TNFRSF25 (rs3138156), and RELB (rs10424046, rs1560725). The strongest TRAF5 SNP was rs3738199 which had a minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.35. Compared to patients with the AA genotype, those with the AG (HR=2.14, 95% CI 0.91–5.01) or GG (HR=3.72, 95% CI 1.34–10.3) genotypes had inferior survival (p-trend=0.0092). The TNFRSF25 SNP rs3138156 had a MAF of 0.054; compared to patients with the AA genotype, those with the AG or GG genotype (HR=2.46, 95% CI 0.88–6.89) had inferior survival (p=0.087). Finally, the strongest RELB SNP was rs10424046, and had a MAF of 0.54. Compared to patients with the GG genotype, those with the GC (HR=0.57, 95% CI 0.25–1.28) or CC (HR=0.39, 95% CI 0.14–1.12) genotypes had superior survival (p-trend=0.065). Similar results for EFS were observed for the TRAF5 and RELB SNPs. Discussion: Germline genetic variation in the TNF and NF-κB pathway genes TRAF5, RELB, and TNFRSF25 were associated with prognosis in MCL after adjustment for clinical and treatment factors, and this result replicates findings from an independent dataset. TRAF5 is one of the components of a multiple protein complex which binds to TNF receptor cytoplasmic domains and mediates TNF-induced activation; RELB is part of the NF-κB complex; and TNF super family receptor member 25 stimulates NF-κB activity and regulates apoptosis through signal transduction that is mediated by various death domain containing adaptor proteins. In summary, genetic variation in TNF and NF-κB pathway genes may play a role in disease progression and overall survival in MCL, supporting further targeting of this pathway for therapy. Support: Lymphoma Research Foundation, P50 CA97274, R01 CA129539. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract Background: Obesity has been associated with risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in several recent studies. However, the effect of weight gain during adulthood, a potentially modifiable risk factor, on the incidence of NHL is not clear. We therefore examined the association of weight gain since age 18 years with the risk of NHL among older women. Methods: We examined this association in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, a prospective study of 37,762 Iowa women aged 55 to 69 years at enrollment in 1986. Lifestyle and other risk factors, including weight at age 18 and at enrollment, were self-reported on a mailed questionnaire. We defined stable weight as no increase in weight or up to a 10% weight loss from age 18 to enrollment, while percent weight gain was divided into tertiles based on the distribution observed in the cohort. NHL incidence through 18 years of follow-up was ascertained by linkage with the Iowa SEER Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of percent weight gain with NHL incidence, adjusting for age (Age-adjusted model) and age, marital status, farm residence, transfusion history, diabetes, use of hormone replacement therapy, alcohol use, smoking, and intake of red meat and fruits (Multivariate model). Results: The mean age of the women in the cohort in 1986 was 62.1 years. During 593,474 person-years of follow-up, 379 incident cases of NHL were observed. The mean age at diagnosis was 72.6 years (range 58–87 years). The main results are reported in the table. Similar results were found for absolute weight gain. Stratification of these results on body mass index at age 18 (using a cutpoint of 21 kg/m2) showed similar results, with the exception of >10% weight loss for women with a BMI of <21 at age 18 where we could not estimate a RR (no cases observed). Conclusions: Weight gain or large weight loss (>10% of body weight) during adulthood were both associated with increased risk of NHL, although the RRs for percent weight gain were not statistically significant and there was no dose-response. This study suggests another potential benefit of avoiding adult weight gain, although further studies are needed to confirm these novel findings. Association of percent weight change during adulthood (age 18 to age 55–69 years) and risk of NHL % Weight Change NHL Cases Person-years Age-Adjusted RR(95% CI) Multivariate RR (95% CI) >10% weight loss 15 17053 2.06 (1.05–4.02) 2.02 (1.03–3.95) Stable 20 45973 1 (reference) 1 (reference) 0–18.2% gain 115 175883 1.50 (0.94–2.42) 1.50 (0.93–2.41) 18.3–34.8% gain 119 176258 1.54 (0.96–2.47) 1.53 (0.95–2.47) >34.8% gain 110 178308 1.40 (0.87–2.25) 1.32 (0.82–2.14).

Abstract Abstract 684 Background. Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of developing of lymphoma, particularly DLBCL. Genetic variation in several energy balance genes, including leptin (LEP), its receptor LEPR, ghrelin (GHRL) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) have been shown to modulate risk of lymphoma, although their impact on survival is not known. In contrast, recent studies suggest that patients either overweight (Body Mass Index (BMI), 25 to<30 kg/m2) or obese (≥30 kg/m2) may have a superior prognosis in DLBCL, although its impact in FL and in the current treatment era is not known. We evaluated the association of BMI at the time of diagnosis, 2 years prior to diagnosis and at ages 18, 35 and 50 years, along with germline genetic variation in selected energy balance genes with event-free (EFS) and overall (OS) survival in DLBCL and FL. Methods. We evaluated these associations in a prospective cohort of newly diagnosed DLBCL (N=764) and FL (N=649) patients enrolled at the Mayo Clinic and University of Iowa from 2002–2009 as part of the Molecular Epidemiology Resource. Peripheral blood DNA, clinical data and self-reported historical weights were collected at enrollment. Patients received standard disease treatment strategies, and were systematically followed for disease progression, re-treatment, and death. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped as part of a custom Illumina iSelect panel. The most prevalent homozygous genotype was used as the reference group, and each SNP was modeled as having a log-additive effect in the regression model. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of the obesity measures and SNPs with outcome, adjusted for treatment class and subtype specific prognostic factors (IPI, FLIPI). Results. For DLBCL patients (median age 63 years, range 18–92) the median follow-up was 47 months (range 0–101); 58% had an IPI 0–1 risk disease; and 87% received immunochemotherapy. For FL patients (median age 60 years, range 25–94), the median follow-up was 60 months (range 11–110); 24% had FLIPI score 3–5; and main initial treatments were observation (32%), rituximab (R)-monotherapy (12%), CVP +/−R (19%), and anthracycline +/−R (22%). The main results for BMI and prognosis are reported in the Table. For DLBCL, obese patients at diagnosis had better EFS and OS; this association was weaker for BMI at age 50 and 35 years. In contrast, for FL, overweight and obese patients at diagnosis had a poorer EFS and OS, and this was also observed for BMIs two years before diagnosis and at ages 50 and 35 years. In FL, the LEP SNP rs2167270 was associated with inferior EFS (HR=1.25; 95%CI 1.05–1.49) and OS (HR=1.28; 95%CI 0.90–1.83). The NPYSNP rs16147 was associated with inferior FL OS (HR=1.50; 95%CI 1.03–2.17) but was not associated with EFS. None of the energy balance and metabolism SNPs were associated with DLBCL EFS or OS. Conclusions. Higher BMI prior to and at diagnosis, as well as SNPs in LEP and NPY,were significantly associated with FL prognosis, with inferior outcomes in overweight and obese patients. These novel findings in the modern treatment era suggest an important role of obesity pathways in FL prognosis. In DLBCL, we confirm the recent findings of improved survival in DLBCL in obese patients, and extend this to the modern treatment era and BMI earlier in life. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.