Survival predictor for diffuse large B cell lymphoma

1. A method of treating a subject suffering from diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the method comprising:

(1) predicting the survival outcome of the subject comprising:

a) obtaining one or more DLBCL biopsy samples from a subject;

b) isolating gene expression product from the one or more DLBCL biopsy samples;

c) obtaining a gene expression profile from the gene expression product by detecting an expression level for each gene in a germinal center B cell (GCB) gene expression signature and a stromal-1 gene expression signature and a stromal-2 gene expression signature;

d) determining a GCB signature value and a stromal-1 signature value and a stromal-2 gene signature value from the gene expression profile, and

e) calculating a survival predictor score using the equation: survival predictor score=8.11−[0.419*(the GCB signature value)]−[1.015*(the stromal-1 signature value)]+[0.675*(the stromal-2 signature value)],

wherein a lower survival predictor score indicates a more favorable survival outcome and a higher survival predictor score indicates a less favorable survival outcome for the subject; and

(2) treating the subject with chemotherapy and Rituximab.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the GCB signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the GCB gene expression signature, the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature, and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more DLBCL samples are obtained from a subject designated for treatment with chemotherapy and Rituximab.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (1)

f) tracking a survival outcome for the subject following treatment for DLBCL; and

g) generating a survival estimate curve that correlates the probability of the tracked survival outcome with time following treatment for DLBCL, wherein the survival curve also correlates tracked outcome over time with the survival predictor score for the subject.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the survival outcome is overall survival.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the survival outcome is progression free survival.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the GCB signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the GCB gene expression signature, the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature, and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (1)

f) calculating the probability of a survival outcome for the subject beyond an amount of time t following treatment for DLBCL, wherein the subject's probability of the survival outcome P(SO) is calculated using the equation: P(SO)=SO0(t)(exp((s)*survival predictor score)), wherein SO0(t) is the probability of the survival outcome, which corresponds to the largest time value smaller than t in a survival outcome curve, and wherein (s) is a scale factor.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (1)

f) calculating the probability of overall survival after time t for the subject, wherein the subject's probability of overall survival P(OS) is calculated using the equation: P(OS)=OS0(t)(exp(survival predictor score)), wherein OS0(t) is the probability of overall survival, which corresponds to the largest time value smaller than t in an overall survival curve.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: (1)

f) calculating the probability of progression free survival after time t for the subject, wherein the subject's probability of progression free survival P(PFS) is calculated using the equation P(PFS)=F0(t)(exp(0.976*survival predictor score)), wherein F0(t) is the probability of progression free survival, which corresponds to the largest time smaller than t in a survival curve.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the GCB signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the GCB gene expression signature, the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature, and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further includes providing the subject with the calculated probability of the survival outcome after time t.

13. A method of treating a subject suffering from diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the method comprising:

(1) selecting the subject for antiangiogenic therapy of DLBCL comprising:

a) isolating gene expression product from one or more DLBCL biopsy samples from a subject;

b) obtaining a gene expression profile from the gene expression product by detecting an expression level for each gene in a stromal-1 signature and a stromal-2 signature;

c) determining the subject's stromal-1 signature value and stromal-2 signature value from the gene expression profile;

d) subtracting the stromal-1 signature value from the stromal-2 signature value to thereby obtain the subject's stromal score;

e) determining whether the subject's stromal score is higher or lower than a standard stromal score; wherein antiangiogenic therapy is indicated by a stromal score that is higher than a standard stromal score and antiangiogenic therapy is not indicated by a stromal score that is not higher than a standard stromal score; and

f) determining that the subject's stromal score that is higher than the standard stromal score; and

(2) treating the subject with antiangiogenic therapy.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the GCB signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the GCB gene expression signature, the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature, and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the GCB signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the GCB gene expression signature, the stromal-1 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-1 gene expression signature, and the stromal-2 signature value corresponds to the average of the expression levels of the genes in the stromal-2 gene expression signature.