Abstract
This real-world study investigated outcome of first-line treatment in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). All (n = 292) new DLBCL patients ≥80 years diagnosed in the Stockholm region from 2000–2015 were included. Median age was 85 years, most had good performance status and low comorbidity score. CHOP (cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone) was used in 60/230 patients, R-CHOP in 170/230. Only 12% of patients aged 80–84 years and 6% of ≥85 years received full-dose chemotherapy. Infections (≥ grade III) occurred in 49% and 37% in the two age groups, respectively. Addition of rituximab resulted in a similar and significant improvement in both age subsets regarding complete remission, progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Rituximab, performance status and stage, but not age, were significantly associated with PFS and OS by multivariate analysis. Strictly consecutive patients ≥85 years from a well-defined geographical region responded to and tolerated R-CHOP equally well as patients aged 80–84 years.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Ms. Leila Relander for editorial assistance.
Disclosure statement
LH has received research grant support from Gilead and Janssen-Cilag. AÖ has received research grant from Abbvie, Gilead, Celgene and Janssen-Cilag. The other authors report no conflict of interest.
Author contributions
AA, SE-S, AÖ and LH designed the study, analyzed the results and wrote the draft manuscript. HJ performed the statistical analyses and wrote the statistical part of the manuscript. AA, AM and MW audited the medical files and completed the CRFs for included patients. All authors interpreted the results, reviewed and approved the manuscript.