Collecting, Analyzing, and Storing Tissue Samples From Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES:

- Establish a central lymphoma tissue repository of fresh snap-frozen tissue from
patients with previously untreated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

- Determine a standard set of procedures for routine acquisition, banking, and study of
these tissue samples.

- Correlate presently activated phenotyping studies and future projected molecular
studies of the DNA and RNA status of these tissue samples with clinical results.

- Correlate pretreatment phenotype or genotype of tissue samples from patients with
intermediate- or high-grade NHL with patient outcome, in terms of complete response
rate, time to progression, and survival.

- Correlate the lymphoma lineage (T-cell vs B-cell), loss of class II human
histocompatibility antigen status (HLA-DR-positive vs HLA-DR-negative), proliferative
index (as measured by Ki-67), and B- or T-cell antigen aberrancy (e.g., lack of Pan B
or T antigen expression) with outcome in patients with intermediate- or high-grade NHL.

OUTLINE: Patients are treated on the SWOG study on which they are enrolled.

Tissue samples obtained before treatment began are banked in a tissue repository.

Samples from patients with intermediate- or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are analyzed
by three-stage immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies to B-cell antigens, T-cell
antigens, immunoglobulins, CALLA, HLA-DR, anti-interleukin-2 receptor, and Ki-67 (for the
proliferative index). Phenotype (immune marker status, proliferation status, and activation
status) is correlated with response to treatment, relapse, and overall survival.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 495 patients will be accrued for this study.