Mantle cell lymphoma treatment options for elderly/unfit patients: A systematic review

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is aggressive and incurable with existing therapies, presenting a significant unmet clinical need. MCL occurs mainly in elderly patients with comorbidities; thus, intense treatment options including allogeneic stem cell transplantation (Allo‐SCT) are not feasible. New treatment options are emerging for this elderly/unfit treatment group, we therefore conducted a systematic review to determine whether they offered an advance on the existing recommended treatment, R‐CHOP. The search strategies to identify MCL therapies were designed to capture the most relevant studies from 2013 to 2020. Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses and population,interventions, observations and study design analysis, R‐CHOP, ibrutinib and bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) were taken forward for critical and statistical analysis. All three therapies were effective in increasing the overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival of elderly/unfit patients with MCL. However, none resulted in a significant increase in OS compared to R‐CHOP. In addition, R‐CHOP had a better toxicity profile when compared to both ibrutinib and BR. We therefore conclude that treatment of elderly/unfit patients with MCL is still a significant unmet clinical need; and suggest that outside of the clinical trial setting, R‐CHOP should remain the recommended front‐line treatment for this patient group.