No outcome disparities in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and a low socioeconomic status

Introduction: In patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with outcome in several population-based studies. The aim of this study was to further investigate the existence of disparities in treatment and survival. Methods: A population-based cohort study was performed including 343 consecutive patients with DLBCL, diagnosed between 2005 and 2012, in the North-west of the Netherlands. SES was based on the socioeconomic position within the Netherlands by use of postal code and categorized as low, intermediate or high. With multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models the association between SES and respectively treatment and overall survival (OS) was evaluated. Results: Two-third of patients was positioned in low SES. Irrespective of SES an equal proportion of patients received standard immunochemotherapy. SES was not a significant risk indicator for OS (intermediate versus low SES: hazard ratio (HR) 1.31 (95% CI 0.78-2.18); high versus low SES: HR 0.83 (95% CI 0.48-1.46)). The mortality risk remained significantly increased with higher age, advanced performance status, elevated LDH and presence of comorbidity. Conclusion: Within the setting of free access to health care, in this cohort of patients with DLBCL no disparities in treatment and survival were seen in those with lower SES. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Combination therapy with bortezomib, continuous low-dose cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone followed by one year of maintenance treatment for relapsed multiple myeloma patients

Combination therapy for longer periods but at low dose might be an effective and tolerable manner to treat patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). We used bortezomib, dexamethasone and low-dose oral cyclophosphamide as an induction regimen, followed by 1 year of maintenance consisting of bortezomib and cyclophosphamide. Relapsed MM patients were treated with six cycles of bortezomib twice weekly, cyclophosphamide 50 mg daily and dexamethasone. Maintenance therapy was given for I year. Primary endpoints were toxicity during re-induction and maintenance therapy. Secondary endpoints were response to treatment and progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). This study included 59 patients. Myclosuppression and neuropathy were the most common side effects. Median follow-up was 271 (0.46-54.4) months with an overall response of 71%, and a very good partial response or more of 33%. During maintenance, improved responsiveness was observed in 19% of the patients. The median PI'S was 18.4 months (range 0-13-43.5) and the median OS was 28.1 months (range 0.13-54.4). In conclusion, our study demonstrates that treatment with bortczomib, dexamethasone and low-dose cyclophosphamide is an effective and manageable regimen. Adding 1 year of maintenance was feasible, with limited side effects and an increased response rate

Overall survival patterns in patients with multiple myeloma in the era of novel agents and the role of initial clinical presentation and comorbidities: A population-based study

Introduction Clinical trials have shown improved response rates, progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) when using the novel agents thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib. However, outcome data provided by population-based registries, reflecting real-life, report predominantly improved OS in younger MM patients and only minimal improvement in OS in unselected MM patients older than 65 years. Population-based studies in unselected MM patients in the era of novel agents are relatively limited. Explanations for the marked variation in prognosis across patients may in part be explained by the heterogeneity in the initial clinical presentation, the pre-existing comorbidities, disease biology and response to the therapy. Specific end-organ damage caused by the disease, such as hypercalcemia, renal failure, anemia and bone lesions known as the CRAB symptoms may be associated with worse prognosis in the elderly MM patients. This descriptive prospective population-based cohort study was designed to determine the OS in patients with MM in Friesland, The Netherlands in the era of novel agents, and to analyze the influence of the CRAB symptoms and comorbidities at initial presentation on survival. Methods Since 2005 all patients diagnosed with hematological malignancies in Friesland, a province of the Netherlands, are prospectively registered and followed by their clinicians in a population-based registry, the HemoBase. For this analysis, data on clinical characteristics, comorbidities, treatment and outcome of all patients with newly diagnosed MM in Friesland during the period of January 2005 to January 2013 with a follow-up until January 2014 were retrieved from HemoBase. Supplementary information was obtained from the individual patient hospital records. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were included in the study with subgroup analysis on the symptomatic patients. According to the guidelines from IMWG, each CRAB symptom was divided into two categories (11 mg/dL <serum calcium ≤ 11 mg/dL; 2 mg <creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL; 10.2 g/d ≤ hemoglobin <10.2 g/dL and the presence or absence of bone lesions). The patients were divided by age groups (100 months respectively. Divided into age categories <65, 65-75 and ≥75 years old, the 50% OS is respectively 92, 40 and 29 months (figure 1). For all patients, implementing novel therapies improved OS compared to other therapies (43.5 vs. 21.1 months, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.8, P = 0.017. Patients with a CCI score of 0 have a higher median OS than patients with a score ≥ 2 (HR = 0.6, P = 0.036). Patients with two or more CRAB symptoms have a lower median OS than patients without any CRAB symptoms (HRadjusted = 2.2, P = 0.028). In multivariate analysis, differences in median OS were significant better for patients without hypercalcemia compared to patients with hypercalcemia (HRadj. = 0.6, P = 0.011) and for patients with a serum creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL vs. ≥ 2 mg/dL (HRadj. = 0.4, P <0.0001). Conclusion In this population-based study of a complete Dutch cohort of unselected MM patients over the last decade a median OS of 49.5 months was observed. Despite extensive introduction of novel agents increasing age remains an adverse prognostic factor. High comorbidity scores (CCI ≥ 2) and CRAB symptoms, such as hypercalcemia and impaired renal function at initial presentation were significantly correlated with worse median OS

Treatment with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone is beneficial but toxic in very elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma:a population-based cohort study on treatment, toxicity and outcome

To assess treatment strategies, toxicity and outcome in very elderly patients (aged >= 75 years) diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the rituximab era, an observational population-based cohort study was performed. From 103 patients with a median age of 81 years, data of clinical characteristics, treatment, toxicity and outcome were evaluated. Advanced stage DLBCL was documented in 74 patients. In 80 patients chemotherapy was initiated; 70 patients received rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP). In this group, 39 patients completed all cycles and 30 patients achieved a complete remission. Severe chemotherapy-related toxicity occurred in 69%. Two-year overall survival was 70% for elderly patients who completed chemotherapy, 28% for those treated with incomplete or suboptimal chemotherapy and 21% for those receiving palliative radiotherapy or supportive care. In conclusion, the ability to complete R-CHOP was associated with better overall survival compared to other treatment strategies at the expense of severe treatment-related toxicity