Can baseline red blood cell distribution width predict outcomes in peripheral T-cell lymphoma patients?

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a poor prognosis. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a hematological parameter reflecting variability in erythrocyte volume and has been associated with prognosis in various diseases. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study on 629 newly diagnosed patients with PTCL to explore the relationship between baseline RDW, prognosis, and response to first-line treatment. The cutoff value for baseline RDW was 14.45%. Patients with baseline RDW ≥ 14.45% had a lower overall response rate than those with RDW < 14.45% (41.98% vs. 78.75%, P < 0.001). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that baseline RDW ≥ 14.45% was associated with a poorer treatment response. Multivariate Cox analysis identified baseline RDW ≥ 14.45% as an independent prognostic factor in PTCL. Therefore, baseline RDW is an easily accessible and inexpensive marker for prognostic risk stratification in patients with PTCL.