Short- and Long-term weight changes among United States veterans with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with CHOP chemotherapy

Abstract

Identifying weight changes associated with treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has the potential to improve the long-term health of survivors. A retrospective cohort of United States veterans with a new diagnosis of DLBCL between October 1, 1998 and September 30, 2008, with follow-up until April 23, 2013, was assembled. Weight changes were evaluated before, during, and after treatment in 1935 DLBCL patients who received cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, with or without rituximab (CHOP+/− R). One year prior to treatment, 79% of patients were obese or overweight. During the 12 months leading up to treatment, 57% of the cohort lost weight. Among patients surviving 24 months after treatment initiation, weight increased an average of 2.9 kg above weight at treatment completion. The weight change trends observed in these DLBCL patients suggest that weight management strategies may be an important part of long-term survivorship planning after conclusion of treatment.

Keywords::

• CHOP chemotherapy
• lymphoma
• veterans
• weight change

Acknowledgements

This study was funded in part by: The NCCN Young Investigator Awards (YIA), The Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation, The American Cancer Society [grant MSRG-13-077-01-CPHPS], and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health [grants U54CA155496 and 5K12HL087107]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of: The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.

Potential conflict of interest

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