[Comparison of peripheral neuropathy between Pola-R-CHP and R-CHOP: a retrospective analysis in an ambulatory therapy...

Pola-R-CHP is becoming a standard therapy for DLBCL. We retrospectively compared the incidence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)-related events (numbness and constipation) assessed by the nursing staff at our ambulatory therapy center (ATC) between these two regimens. Patients with DLBCL who received the 2nd (or 3rd) to 6th cycle of either regimen at ATC from Jan 2020 to Dec 2024 were analyzed. Twenty-six patients received Pola-R-CHP, and 35 received R-CHOP. Whereas 92% of patients treated with Pola-R-CHP received 100% of the planned polatuzumab dose, only 58% of those treated with R-CHOP received 100% of the planned vincristine dose. The incidence of numbness increased with the number of cycles and was more frequent with R-CHOP than with Pola-R-CHOP. The difference was most significant at the 4th cycle. In contrast, the incidence of constipation was comparable between the two regimens. Pola-R-CHP may be associated with a lower incidence of CIPN compared with R-CHOP. The high percentage of patients receiving the planned doses of polatuzumab further indicates that Pola-R-CHP could achieve better dose intensity with a lower risk of CIPN.