Limited stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: comparative effectiveness of treatment strategies in a large cohort of elderly patients

Abstract

Optimal treatment for limited stage diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the elderly is controversial. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database, we compared overall survival (OS), time to second-line therapy (surrogate for recurrence) and adverse events in elderly patients diagnosed with stage I or II DLBCL in 1999–2009, who received either abbreviated rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (RCHOP) plus radiation or 6–8 cycles of RCHOP alone. Of 874 patients, 359 received abbreviated RCHOP with radiation, and 515 received a full course of RCHOP. In propensity score-adjusted analyses, OS was similar in both groups (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76, 1.38). Abbreviated RCHOP with radiation was associated with lower risk of second-line therapy (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53, 0.94) and lower odds of febrile neutropenia (odds ratio [OR] 0.27, 95% CI 0.15, 0.50). While the two treatments resulted in similar survival, our data suggest that abbreviated RCHOP with radiation may be better tolerated than a full course of RCHOP.