Efficacy and Safety of Polatuzumab Vedotin Plus Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin and Prednisone for Previously Untreated Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Real-World, Multi-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Polatuzumab vedotin plus R-CHP (Pola-R-CHP) is approved as a new standard first-line therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) based on the POLARIX trial. However, real-world data on its efficacy and safety in unselected patients is lacking. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate Pola-R-CHP versus R-CHOP outcomes in routine clinical practice in China. This is a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study and included all consecutive patients that received at least one dose of polatuzumab vedotin up until February 2024. A total of 600 eligible patients from 6 centers were identified, 131 receiving Pola-R-CHP and 469 R-CHOP. After 1:2 propensity score matching, 128 pairs were obtained for further survival and prognosis analysis. With a median follow-up of 12.8 months, 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) was numerically higher with Pola-R-CHP versus R-CHOP (90.3% vs. 84.1%, p = 0.18). Benefits were consistently observed across molecular subgroups, especially advanced stage, ECOG ≥ 2, extranodal involvement ≥ 2 and non-GCB group. The complete response rate of the Pola-R-CHP group was higher than that of the RCHOP group (86.8% vs. 79.7%; p = 0.09), but there was no statistical difference. Safety profiles were comparable, with no new concerns. Among 128 patients treated with Pola-R-CHP, 96 underwent gene sequencing analysis: MCD (25.0%), EZB (13.5%), combined subtype (12.5%), ST2 (9.4%), and other/unclassifiable subtype (30.2%). The most common mutations (> 25% of cases) were PIM1, TP53, BCL-6, KMT2D, SOCS1, BCL-2. Genetic testing results show the correlation between genotyping, gene mutations in PIM1/TP53 and therapeutic efficacy. This large real-world study supports Pola-R-CHP as an effective frontline option for DLBCL, with sustained efficacy versus R-CHOP observed in unselected populations. While 12-month PFS failed to reach statistical significance, subgroup analyses favor Pola-R-CHP. Further research with a wider population, longer follow-up, and screening of advantageous groups are warranted.