Toxicities and outcomes among septuagenarians and octogenarians with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone therapy.

The diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is increasingly common among the elderly and it is well recognized that this patient population may benefit from therapy. No guidelines exist for chemotherapy dosing in the elderly population, and a clear assessment of treatment toxicity and benefits has not been previously reported. In this single-institution study, we report the toxicities and treatment outcomes of septuagenarians and octogenarians with large cell lymphoma treated with chemo-immunotherapy with or without radiation, as primary therapy with curative intent. We identified 37 patients over the age of 70 years diagnosed with large cell lymphoma treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) and compared their experience with 65 patients aged less than 70 years. Our retrospective analysis suggests that elderly patients are more susceptible to treatment-related toxicity despite more frequent chemotherapy dose reductions and greater utilization of supportive care. While our aged patients experienced greater frequency of hospitalization during R-CHOP treatment, the vast majority were able to receive relative chemotherapy dose-intensity greater than 70% and experienced similar rates of complete remission.