Key clinical point: Sufficiently fit older patients with high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) achieve favorable outcomes with dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R); patients with a poor performance status (PS) develop unacceptable toxicity and require less intensive therapy.
Major finding: At 3 years, the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 53% and 58%, respectively, and the treatment-related mortality (TRM) rate was 13%. The 3-year PFS (58% vs 32%; P < .001) and OS (64% vs 33%; P = .007) rates were significantly higher and TRM rates were significantly lower (6% vs 43%; P < .001) among patients with PS 0-2 vs 3-4.
Study details: This multicenter retrospective real-life study included 120 patients aged ≥60 years with newly diagnosed high-risk DLBCL treated with a median of 6 DA-EPOCH-R cycles per patient.
Disclosures: No information on the source of funding or conflicts of interest was provided.
Source: Mitrovic Z et al. Dose-adjusted EPOCH and rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) in older patients with high-risk aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A real-life multicenter study by the Croatian Cooperative Group for Hematologic diseases (KroHem). Eur J Haematol. 2023 (Mar 20). Doi: 10.1111/ejh.13957