How I treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is usually treated with chemoimmunotherapy in curative intention at initial diagnosis. Novel agents have improved the prognosis of high-risk patients in the front-line and relapsed setting and more accurate prognostic tools enable less intensive treatment for low-risk patients, while maintaining their good prognosis. Here, we summarize our approach to DLBCL patients in the first-line setting according to their risk profile and other common challenges in clinical practice. We recommend an abbreviated course of chemoimmunotherapy in low-risk patients and a negative interim positron emission tomography. For patients with higher-risk disease, a new combination treatment with polatuzumab vedotin has been approved and is a new option in these patients. We also discuss our approach to patients with high risk for subsequent central nervous system involvement, with leg-type lymphoma or with severe comorbidities.