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This is an author produced version of a paper published in Leukemia & Lymphoma. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination. "CD40 is a potential marker of favorable prognosis in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with immunochemotherapy." Access to the published version may require journal subscription. Published with permission from: Informa Healthcare K. Rydström et al. CD40 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma 1 Title Page Title CD40 is a potential marker of favorable prognosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy Shortened running title CD40 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma K. Rydström et al. CD40 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma 2 Abstract We have previously shown that expression of CD40 has a favorable prognostic impact in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Here we examined the prognostic value of immunohistochemically defined CD40 in 95 patients with DLBCL treated with both anthracycline-based chemotherapy and rituximab. Using a 10% cutoff level, 77% of the patients had CD40 positive tumors and showed a superior overall survival (p=0.02 log-rank, hazard ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.88, p=0.03 Cox regression). When adjusted for International Prognostic Index in multivariate analysis, CD40 was not an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.15-1.04, p=0.06 Cox regression). However, even after the introduction of immunochemotherapy, CD40 has a potential prognostic impact in DLBCL. Additional and larger studies are necessary, regarding the immunohistochemical robustness of CD40 and the biological mechanisms that contribute to the superior prognosis in CD40 expressing DLBCL. K. Rydström et al.