Treatment strategies and outcomes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma among 1011 patients aged 75 years or older: A Danish population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Optimal treatment strategy for the oldest patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains controversial, as this group often is precluded from clinical trials, and population-based studies are limited. METHODS: All Danish DLBCL-patients ≥75 years diagnosed from 2003 to 2012 were identified, using the Danish National Lymphoma Registry (LYFO). Information regarding baseline characteristics, treatment, comorbidities and outcomes was retrieved from LYFO, the Danish National health registries and medical records. Patients were stratified by age (75-79; 80-84 and 85 + years), comorbidity score and treatment modality (standard treatment [R-CHOP/CHOP-like], less intensive regimens or palliative treatment). FINDINGS: A total of 1011 patients were included. Standard treatment was initiated in 64%, ranging from 83% among patients aged 75-79 years to 32% among patient aged 85 + years. With standard treatment, median overall survival (OS) estimates were 4·6, 2·6, and 1·9 years for the age groups 75-79, 80-84 and 85+ years. Among patient aged 75-79 and 80-84 years, OS was superior with standard treatment, although high comorbidity scores attenuated this association. Among patients aged 85+ years, survival was not influenced by treatment intensity. Patients ≥80 years had similar OS regardless of intended (R-)CHOP dosing, whereas patients of 75-79 years scheduled for full dose had higher OS. Standard treatment was not associated with increased hospitalisation. INTERPRETATION: Standard treatment is feasible with good outcomes in a large proportion of elderly DLBCL-patients. Planned dose reduction in patients aged ≥80 years had no negative impact on OS.

Minimal Loss of Lifetime for Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in Remission and Event Free 24 Months After Treatment: A Danish Population-Based Study.

Purpose The general outlook for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in first remission is important information for patients and for planning post-treatment follow-up. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the survival of patients with DLBCL in remission compared with a matched general population. Methods A total of 1,621 patients from the Danish Lymphoma Registry who were newly diagnosed with DLBCL between 2003 and 2011 were included in this study. All patients were ≥ 16 years of age at diagnosis and had achieved complete remission or complete remission unconfirmed after first-line rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) or R-CHOP-like therapy. Results The 5-year post-treatment DLBCL survival was inferior to survival in the matched general population (78%; 95% CI, 76 to 80; v 87%; standardized mortality ratio, 1.75; P < .001). Excess mortality was present but reduced for patients achieving post-treatment event-free survival for 24 months (pEFS24; standardized mortality ratio, 1.27; P < .001). In age-stratified analyses, the survival of patients < 50 years of age was normalized to the general population after achieving pEFS24 ( P = .99). During the first 8 years after pEFS24, the average loss of lifetime was 0.31 mo/y (95% CI, 0.11 to 0.50 mo/y). Excess mortality diminished when analyzing death from lymphoma as competing event to death from other causes, suggesting that early and late relapse is responsible for increased mortality in patients with DLBCL. Conclusion Although this population-based study does not support complete normalization of survival for patients with DLBCL achieving pEFS24, the estimated loss of residual lifetime was low for patients in continuous remission 2 years after ending treatment. Therefore, pEFS24 is an appealing and relevant milestone for patient counseling and could be a surrogate end point in clinical trials.

Pregnancy outcomes after fetal exposure to antithyroid medications or levothyroxine.

AIM: To investigate whether fetal exposure to antithyroid drugs (ATD) and levothyroxine affects gestational age (GA), birth weight, birth length, head circumference and prevalence of congenital anomalies. METHODS: Cohort of all pregnancies from GA 12 weeks recorded in Danish registries from 1995-2010. Exposure was having a prescription for ATD or levothyroxine from 91 days before to 91 days after pregnancy start (n=8318). The reference group was pregnant women without exposure of ATD or levothyroxine (n=969303). A subpopulation was linked to the Danish EUROCAT congenital anomaly register. RESULTS: Overall 0.66% of the pregnant women had a prescription for levothyroxine and 0.19% had a prescription for ATD during the exposure period. There was no difference in proportion of live births compared to non-exposed pregnancies, but infants exposed to ATD were more often born very preterm (1.99% versus 0.94% Odds Ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.46 - 2.86) and had higher infant mortality (Odds ratio 2.37, 95% CI 1.42 - 3.94). Infants exposed to ATD were more likely to have low birth weight and length for GA (Odds ratios 1.29 (1.12 - 1.50) and 1.40 (1.17 - 1.66). There was no difference in head circumference for the 3 exposure groups. Prevalence of congenital anomalies was the same for exposed and non-exposed pregnancies. CONCLUSION: Fetal exposure to ATD resulted in lower GA, birth weight, length and higher infant mortality. Treatment for hypothyroidism had no significant impact on these variables. There was no difference in prevalence of congenital anomalies.