DNA Analysis in Influencing Response to Rituximab in Samples From Patients With Follicular Lymphoma Treated on ECOG-E4402

The Influence of KIR and HLA Genotype on the Response to Rituximab Immunotherapy in Patients With Follicular Lymphoma

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how well patients will respond to treatment.

PURPOSE: This research study is studying DNA isolated from blood samples to see how well it influences response to rituximab in patients with follicular lymphoma treated on clinical trial ECOG-E4402.

OBJECTIVES:

• To test the influence of killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) genotype on response to anti-CD20 antibody lymphoma immunotherapy.

OUTLINE: DNA samples are analyzed for killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping with sequence-specific primers (SSP) by real-time PCR. KIR and HLA typing are analyzed according to KIR-HLA matched vs mismatched, KIR B haplotype content, and the number of inhibitory KIR-HLA pairs. Results are then correlated to each patient's overall response and duration of response to rituximab.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Patients diagnosed with follicular lymphoma enrolled on ECOG-E4402

  • Treated with single-agent rituximab; the trial compared two different rituximab-dosing strategies - maintenance vs retreatment as needed

• Available germline DNA samples isolated from peripheral blood as well as clinical evaluation of disease status prior to and at initial response to the therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics