Prephase rituximab/prednisone therapy and aging-related, proinflammatory cytokine milieu in older, vulnerable patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) predominantly affects older adults with suboptimal therapeutic outcomes due to increased treatment-related mortality and toxicities in vulnerable patients, clinically defined by geriatric impairments such as functional limitation, multimorbidity, or cognitive deficits. In this prospective pilot study, we evaluated a rituximab/prednisone prephase treatment strategy in 33 older, vulnerable patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, defined by either age ≥70 years or age 60-70 years with Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) <80. A single dose of rituximab 375 mg/m(2) between 3-10 days and oral prednisone for at least 5 days prior to the first dose of chemoimmunotherapy was administered. All patients completed prephase treatment and all but one commenced anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapy. Only one early cycle death occurred. Toxicity events, defined by either unplanned hospitalization, unplanned dose reduction/delay, or chemotherapy discontinuation, occurred in 22 patients (67%). Sixteen patients (48%) experienced grade 3 or higher non-hematologic toxicities and/or grade 4 or higher hematologic toxicities. With a median follow-up of 4.4 years, both 5-year progression-free survival and overall survival were at 81% (95% confidence interval: 69-96). Importantly, we found that phenotypic impairments in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, physical function, mobility, KPS, and Cancer and Aging Research Group chemotherapy toxicity risk score were significantly associated with senescence-associated, proinflammatory cytokine milieu which was readily reversed with prephase treatment, potentially explaining its clinical effectiveness. Prephase therapy with rituximab/prednisone should be considered for all older, vulnerable DLBCL patients prior to curative intent, anthracycline-based chemoimmunotherapy. This trial was registered as clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT 89028394.