An Updated Understanding of Follicular Lymphoma Transformation
Cet article passe en revue les études récentes sur la transformation d'un lymphome folliculaire vers une forme plus agressive, résume les connaissances concernant le mécanisme biologique de cette transformation ainsi que le diagnostic et la prise en charge clinique de ce type de lymphome puis identifie les futurs axes de recherche
While the majority of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) follow an indolent disease course, some patients experience a critical inflection point when FL transforms into an aggressive lymphoma. Historically, FL transformation (tFL) is marked by poor outcomes, particularly for patients with prior FL-directed treatment. Compared to FL, tFL is marked by numerous additional genetic changes, upregulates novel signaling pathways and arises from an ancestral FL clone with shared FL-initiating mutations. Prediction of tFL risk remains a high-priority area of disease research, with recent work highlighting memory-like B cell phenotypes associated with transformation risk and implicating critical tumor-immune interactions at transformation emergence. Mechanistic studies provide insight into the role of genetic drivers in determining malignant B cell phenotypes or reducing microenvironmental dependencies. In parallel, a shifting therapeutic landscape marked by novel immune-based therapeutics is improving outcomes for patients, yet further clinical outcome data in tFL are greatly needed. This review summarizes recent scientific and clinical studies in tFL and provides an updated understanding of the biological basis, diagnosis and clinical management of tFL. We conclude with a proposed plan of future research aimed at the goal of increasing tFL biologic knowledge and improving outcomes for patients with tFL.
Blood , article en libre accès, 2025