Dr. Melnick on Epigenetic Diversity in DLBCL

Ari Melnick, MD, professor of medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, discusses the association between epigenetic diversity and clinical outcomes for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

It is known that tumors in individual patients are composed of many different cell clones and mutations. Researchers are also aware that tumors with more combinations of mutations in different clones of cells will have a greater chance of survival after treatment.

Melnick says that a great degree of diversity of clonal populations from an epigenetic standpoint is now being observed as well. Two studies have proven that those patients with the highest degree of epigenetic diversity are those that do the poorest, proving that epigenetic diversity is an indication or how fit tumors are to survive toxic treatment.