ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical features, therapeutic effects, survival time and prognostic factors of patents with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 47 MCL patients admitted from January 2002 to December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of all patients, median age was 58 year-old and male to female ratio was 3.3:1. Forty-two cases (89.4%) were in Ann Arbor stage III-IV, 13 cases (27.7%) with bone marrow involvement, 6 cases (12.8%) with lymphocytosis, 18 cases (38.3%) with elevated LDH, and 28 cases (59.6%) with elevated β(2)-MG. Age, bone marrow involvement, increased LDH level and treatment without rituximab were poor prognostic factors. The efficiency and complete remission rate of rituximab combined with chemotherapy were 91.4% and 48.6%, which were superior to those of CHOP regimen (41.7% and 16.7%). As compared to CHOP regimen, rituximab combined with chemotherapy induced longer progression-free survival and overall survival.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Most patients with MCL were older adults with a male predominance and usually had bone marrow involvement and poor prognosis. Rituximab combined with chemotherapy could significantly improve patient outcome.</p>