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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, characterized by aggressive behavior and significant clinical variability. Genetic susceptibility studies highlight potential risk factors, while treatment approaches continue to evolve, especially for relapsed or refractory cases 112.

Diagnosis

  • Clinical Presentation: Often presents with lymphadenopathy, systemic symptoms, and extranodal involvement.
  • Biopsy: Essential for definitive diagnosis, typically through lymph node or affected tissue biopsy.
  • Genetic Markers: Evaluation of genetic abnormalities such as B2M and CD58 expression can provide prognostic insights 23.
  • Imaging: CT scans and PET scans are used to assess extent of disease 18.
  • Laboratory Tests: Blood tests for CBC, LDH levels, and other markers to assess disease burden and prognosis 8.
  • Management

  • First-Line Treatment: Rituximab combined with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) is standard for fit elderly and younger patients 1725.
  • Novel Agents: Polatuzumab vedotin shows superior progression-free survival (PFS) in ABC-type DLBCL, particularly when combined with R-CHP 11.
  • Relapsed/Refractory Cases: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies are emerging options; combination therapies often show better outcomes than monotherapy 2713.
  • Consolidation Radiotherapy: May offer survival benefits in certain advanced stages post-chemo-immunotherapy 18.
  • Geriatric Considerations: Tailored approaches for elderly patients, integrating geriatric assessment to manage toxicity and optimize outcomes 21.
  • Special Populations

  • Elderly Patients: Treatment strategies should integrate geriatric oncology principles, often using dose-adjusted R-CHOP with close monitoring 2125.
  • Comorbidities: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) negatively impact outcomes in older adults; careful medication management is crucial 4.
  • Pregnancy: Specific guidelines are lacking; treatment decisions must balance maternal and fetal risks, often deferring therapy until postpartum 17.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Use R-CHOP as first-line therapy for fit elderly and younger patients (Evidence: Strong 1725).
  • Consider polatuzumab vedotin for ABC-type DLBCL in first-line settings to improve progression-free survival (Evidence: Moderate 11).
  • Evaluate geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) for prognostic assessment in DLBCL patients (Evidence: Moderate 8).
  • Tailor treatment in elderly patients based on comprehensive geriatric assessment to mitigate toxicity and enhance efficacy (Evidence: Expert opinion 21).
  • Monitor and manage polypharmacy and PIMs in older adults with DLBCL to improve survival outcomes (Evidence: Moderate 4).
  • References

    1 Cui Q, Tan W, Song B, Peng RJ, Wang L, Dorajoo R et al.. Genetic susceptibility of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a meta genome-wide association study in Asian population. Leukemia 2025. link 2 Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Reljic T, Mohty R, Tawk M, Abdel-Razeq S, Keller K et al.. Treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Progressing or Relapsing after Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy. Transplantation and cellular therapy 2025. link 3 Rudyk D, Tutchenko M, Chub S, Besedinskyi M, Lovin A, Ahapchenko I. DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA COMPLICATED BY BLEEDING FROM VARICOSE VEINS OF THE STOMACH AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF SINISTRAL PORTAL HYPERTENSION. CASE STUDY AND LITERATURE REVIEW. Experimental oncology 2025. link 4 Gong IY, Vijenthira A, Ante Z, Calzavara A, Hshieh TT, DuMontier C et al.. Association of Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medications With Outcomes in Older Adults With DLBCL: A Population Study. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2025. link 5 Xu Z, Huang D, Liu Q, Liu S, Liu J, Wang H et al.. A real-world pharmacovigilance analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system events for polatuzumab vedotin. Expert opinion on drug safety 2025. link 6 Zhou M, Jiang C, Su C. Exploration of adverse event profiles for glofitamab: A disproportionality analysis using the FDA adverse event reporting system. PloS one 2025. link 7 Kim J, Cho J, Lee MH, Yoon SE, Kim WS, Kim SJ. CAR T cells vs bispecific antibody as third- or later-line large B-cell lymphoma therapy: a meta-analysis. Blood 2024. link 8 Yan C, Xie Y, Hua Y, Li S, Fu H, Cheng Z et al.. Prognostic value of geriatric nutritional risk index in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a meta-analysis. Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico 2024. link 9 Bae SS, Rasmussen S, Plemel DJA. Orbital mass as the presenting symptom of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma causing spontaneous tumor lysis syndrome and rapid multisystem organ failure. Orbit (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2024. link 10 Storgard R, Dusza S, Shouval R, Scordo M, Markova A. Dermatologic Adverse Events Associated With Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy: A Pharmacovigilance Analysis of the FDA Reporting System. Transplantation and cellular therapy 2024. link 11 Sheng Z, Li D, Chen B, Zhao C, Zhang W, Ding B et al.. Superiority of polatuzumab vedotin over other novel agents in previously untreated ABC-type diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a network meta-analysis of 20 RCTs. Annals of hematology 2023. link 12 Ernst M, Dührsen U, Hellwig D, Lenz G, Skoetz N, Borchmann P. Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Related Entities. Deutsches Arzteblatt international 2023. link 13 Li T, Yu J, Hou M, Zha S, Cheng Q, Zheng Q et al.. Quantitative evaluation of therapy options for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A model-based meta-analysis. Pharmacological research 2023. link 14 Yu M, Zhang Q, Wan L, Wang S, Zou L, Chen Z et al.. IL-1R8 expression in DLBCL regulates NK cell recruitment and influences patient prognosis. Functional & integrative genomics 2023. link 15 Christofyllakis K, Neumann F, Bewarder M, Thurner L, Kaddu-Mulindwa D, Kos IA et al.. Vitamin D Enhances Immune Effector Pathways of NK Cells Thus Providing a Mechanistic Explanation for the Increased Effectiveness of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies. Nutrients 2023. link 16 De Francesco V, Manta R, Marmo R, Marmo C, Rago A, Antonelli G et al.. Efficacy of Helicobater pylori eradication in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the stomach: A systematic review. European journal of haematology 2022. link 17 Iftikhar R, Mir MA, Moosajee M, Rashid K, Bokhari SW, Abbasi AN et al.. Diagnosis and Management of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Society of Medical Oncology, Pakistan Society of Hematology, and Pakistan Society of Clinical Oncology Joint Clinical Practice Guideline. JCO global oncology 2021. link 18 Berger MD, Trelle S, Büchi AE, Jegerlehner S, Ionescu C, Lamy de la Chapelle T et al.. Impact on survival through consolidation radiotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a comprehensive meta-analysis. Haematologica 2021. link 19 Regazzo G, Marchesi F, Spagnuolo M, Díaz Méndez AB, Masi S, Mengarelli A et al.. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: Time to focus on circulating blood nucleic acids?. Blood reviews 2021. link 20 Durani U, Asante D, Heien HC, Thompson CA, Halfdanarson T, Sangaralingham L et al.. Changes in Frequency of Surveillance Imaging of Survivors of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma After the American Society of Hematology Choosing Wisely Recommendations. JCO oncology practice 2021. link 21 Morrison VA, Hamlin P, Soubeyran P, Stauder R, Wadhwa P, Aapro M et al.. Approach to therapy of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the elderly: the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) expert position commentary. Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology 2015. link 22 Wang E, Papavassiliou P, Wei Q, Wickham MQ, Cichon L, Proia AD. An Epstein-Barr virus-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as multi-organ failure: a catastrophic lymphomatosis with fulminant visceral organ dissemination resulting in a precipitous death in a 59-year-old female with no identifiable etiology for immunodeficiency. Pathology, research and practice 2014. link 23 . Gene inactivation promotes immune escape in DLBCL. Cancer discovery 2012. link 24 Reddy U, Bewick J, Good C, Chevassut T, Das-Purkayastha PK. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: an unusual cause of severe otalgia and facial palsy. BMJ case reports 2012. link 25 Lugtenburg PJ, Sonneveld P. Treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the elderly: strategies integrating oncogeriatric themes. Current oncology reports 2008. link 26 Brusamolino E, Maffioli M, Bonfichi M, Vitolo U. Front-line therapy for nonlocalized diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: what has been demonstrated and what is yet to be established. Future oncology (London, England) 2008. link 27 Porcu P. Profiling is a good thing (at least in the clinic). Blood 2005. link 28 Kefford RF, Woods RL, Gianoutsos P. Immunoblastic lymphoma in husband and wife. The Medical journal of Australia 1980. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Genetic susceptibility of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a meta genome-wide association study in Asian population.Cui Q, Tan W, Song B, Peng RJ, Wang L, Dorajoo R et al. Leukemia (2025)
    2. [2]
      Treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Progressing or Relapsing after Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy.Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Reljic T, Mohty R, Tawk M, Abdel-Razeq S, Keller K et al. Transplantation and cellular therapy (2025)
    3. [3]
    4. [4]
      Association of Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medications With Outcomes in Older Adults With DLBCL: A Population Study.Gong IY, Vijenthira A, Ante Z, Calzavara A, Hshieh TT, DuMontier C et al. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN (2025)
    5. [5]
      A real-world pharmacovigilance analysis of the FDA adverse event reporting system events for polatuzumab vedotin.Xu Z, Huang D, Liu Q, Liu S, Liu J, Wang H et al. Expert opinion on drug safety (2025)
    6. [6]
    7. [7]
    8. [8]
      Prognostic value of geriatric nutritional risk index in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a meta-analysis.Yan C, Xie Y, Hua Y, Li S, Fu H, Cheng Z et al. Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico (2024)
    9. [9]
    10. [10]
      Dermatologic Adverse Events Associated With Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy: A Pharmacovigilance Analysis of the FDA Reporting System.Storgard R, Dusza S, Shouval R, Scordo M, Markova A Transplantation and cellular therapy (2024)
    11. [11]
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      Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Related Entities.Ernst M, Dührsen U, Hellwig D, Lenz G, Skoetz N, Borchmann P Deutsches Arzteblatt international (2023)
    13. [13]
      Quantitative evaluation of therapy options for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A model-based meta-analysis.Li T, Yu J, Hou M, Zha S, Cheng Q, Zheng Q et al. Pharmacological research (2023)
    14. [14]
      IL-1R8 expression in DLBCL regulates NK cell recruitment and influences patient prognosis.Yu M, Zhang Q, Wan L, Wang S, Zou L, Chen Z et al. Functional & integrative genomics (2023)
    15. [15]
    16. [16]
      Efficacy of Helicobater pylori eradication in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the stomach: A systematic review.De Francesco V, Manta R, Marmo R, Marmo C, Rago A, Antonelli G et al. European journal of haematology (2022)
    17. [17]
    18. [18]
      Impact on survival through consolidation radiotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a comprehensive meta-analysis.Berger MD, Trelle S, Büchi AE, Jegerlehner S, Ionescu C, Lamy de la Chapelle T et al. Haematologica (2021)
    19. [19]
      Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: Time to focus on circulating blood nucleic acids?Regazzo G, Marchesi F, Spagnuolo M, Díaz Méndez AB, Masi S, Mengarelli A et al. Blood reviews (2021)
    20. [20]
      Changes in Frequency of Surveillance Imaging of Survivors of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma After the American Society of Hematology Choosing Wisely Recommendations.Durani U, Asante D, Heien HC, Thompson CA, Halfdanarson T, Sangaralingham L et al. JCO oncology practice (2021)
    21. [21]
      Approach to therapy of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the elderly: the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) expert position commentary.Morrison VA, Hamlin P, Soubeyran P, Stauder R, Wadhwa P, Aapro M et al. Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology (2015)
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      Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: an unusual cause of severe otalgia and facial palsy.Reddy U, Bewick J, Good C, Chevassut T, Das-Purkayastha PK BMJ case reports (2012)
    25. [25]
    26. [26]
      Front-line therapy for nonlocalized diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: what has been demonstrated and what is yet to be established.Brusamolino E, Maffioli M, Bonfichi M, Vitolo U Future oncology (London, England) (2008)
    27. [27]
    28. [28]
      Immunoblastic lymphoma in husband and wife.Kefford RF, Woods RL, Gianoutsos P The Medical journal of Australia (1980)

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