Developing the novel Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index

Adam Olszewski, MD, Brown University, Providence, RI, discusses the development of the Burkitt Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (BL-IPI), aiming to better stratify patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk subgroups based on prognostic factors. Identified from a large real-world evidence cohort of US adult Burkitt lymphoma (BL) patients, the variables which provided the highest prognostic values were age ≥40 years, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, ECOG performance status, and central nervous system invasion. Following validation with an international cohort, the index performed well and was able to stratify patients similarly to the trial cohort, where low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients with BL exhibited progression-free survival rates of 96%, 72%, and 63%, respectively. This novel index could identify low-risk patients for de-escalation and high-risk patients who could benefit from novel treatment approaches. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.