Treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the elderly: strategies integrating oncogeriatric themes.

With an increasingly aged population, many patients will present with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in their 70s and 80s. Recently, several randomized studies have confirmed the benefit of rituximab in combination with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and showed a substantial improvement in the outcome of fit elderly patients. This article reviews the efficacy and toxicity of the current treatment regimens applied for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in elderly patients and provides practical recommendations for the management of these patients.