Pacis S, Bolzani A, Heuck A, Gossens K, Kruse M, Fritz B, Maywald U, Wilke T, Kunz C. Epidemiology and Real-World Treatment of Incident Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL): A German Claims Data Analysis.
Oncol Ther 2024;
12:293-309. [PMID:
38379108 PMCID:
PMC11187056 DOI:
10.1007/s40487-024-00265-8]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence, incidence, and treatment patterns (treatment regimens, switches, duration) for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in a real-world setting.
METHODS
This was a retrospective German claims data analysis of patients with DLBCL diagnosed between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2020. The prevalence and cumulative incidence of DLBCL were found for 2019/2020. Line of treatment (LOT) and treatment setting from first DLBCL diagnosis to end of follow-up were described. Kaplan-Meier overall survival (OS) estimates since DLBCL diagnosis and start of treatment lines were calculated.
RESULTS
Overall, 2633 incident DLBCL cases were identified (median age 75 years, 51% male). Of these, 2119 patients received at least one DLBCL-related treatment (LOT1), and 1567 patients died during follow-up. In 2019/2020, the prevalence and cumulative incidence of DLBCL was 34.8/36.7 per 100,000 patients and 14.0/12.7 per 100,000 patients, respectively. For LOT1, 1922 patients were given a chemotherapy-based regimen (1530 with CD20 antibodies). A total of 403 patients were administered a second line (LOT2), of which 183 patients received a CD20 antibody-containing chemotherapy regimen and 100 patients received stem cell transplantation or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy. Of the 136 LOT3+ treatments, 74 were chemotherapy regimens (54 with CD20 antibodies) and 18 were kinase inhibitors. The median time between treatment lines was less than 6 months. Among patients with at least LOT2, approximately 50% received more than one LOT during the first year after diagnosis. Approximately 25% of treated patients died within 6 months of treatment initiation. Of the 2633 included patients, the median OS from diagnosis was 31.0 months (treated patients: 46.8 months, untreated patients: 3.0 months).
CONCLUSIONS
Despite advances in the field, high unmet medical need in DLBCL remains. The treatment landscape is very heterogeneous, particularly in second- or later-line treatments, with few patients receiving potentially curative treatment beyond the first line. Treatment for DLBCL, particularly for transplant-ineligible patients, remains challenging.
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