Relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma - advancements in treatment

About 40% of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma will develop disease relapse or refractory disease to first-line rituximabcyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone chemotherapy, necessitating second-line therapy. Historically, this consisted of platinum-based chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation for patients who were transplant-eligible. But not all patients are eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation and curative treatment options for these patients were limited. The lack of effective treatment options in the relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had made the prognosis of these patients poor. In recent years there have been several new therapeutic agents approved or pending approval for the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. These treatments include antibody- drug conjugates, novel anti CD19 monoclonal antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and selinexor. This paper reviews current strategies and novel therapies for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma.