Faculty Collaboration Database

Impact of Age on Biology, Presentation and Outcomes in Marginal Zone Lymphoma: Results From a Multicenter Cohort Study. Hematol Oncol 2025 May;43(3):e70087

Date

04/22/2025

Pubmed ID

40260947

Pubmed Central ID

PMC12013245

DOI

10.1002/hon.70087

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105003179311 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

Given the paucity of age-specific data about biology, presentation, and treatment outcomes in adults with MZL, we sought to evaluate differences between younger (≤ 70 years) and older (> 70 years) patients with MZL in a large retrospective cohort treated in the contemporary era (2010 onwards). The primary objective was progression-free survival (PFS), while secondary objectives included the evaluation of overall survival (OS) and the cumulative incidence of transformation between the 2 groups. A total of 598 patients were included in the analysis and among these 32% were > 70 years of age. There were no age-based differences in the prevalence of NMZL, SMZL, and EMZL. Older patients had a higher incidence of adverse prognostic features at diagnosis such as worse performance status, advanced stage disease, and bone marrow involvement, yet were more likely to be treated with single-agent rituximab than chemoimmunotherapy. Age > 70 years was associated with inferior PFS and OS after controlling for clinically relevant risk factors and accounting for differences in first-line treatment. Receipt of rituximab monotherapy was associated with significantly inferior PFS overall, however, the type of first-line therapy did not impact OS in any group. Our data suggests that despite the development of new drugs for MZL, age remains an independent predictor of inferior outcomes. Investigation of targeted therapy combinations in the first-line setting may yield the required balance of efficacy and toxicity in older adults with MZL.

Author List

Torka P, Grover NS, Voorhees TJ, Karmali R, Annunzio K, Watkins MP, Anampa-Guzmán A, Reves H, Tavakkoli M, Christian B, Thomas C, Barta SK, Geethakumari PR, Bartlett NL, Shouse G, Olszewski AJ, Epperla N

Author

Kaitlin Annunzio DO Assistant Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Female
Humans
Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone
Male
Middle Aged
Prognosis
Retrospective Studies
Rituximab
Survival Rate
Treatment Outcome