Journal of Hematology, ISSN 1927-1212 print, 1927-1220 online, Open Access
Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Hematol and Elmer Press Inc
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Original Article

Volume 15, Number 1, February 2026, pages 34-44


Interactive Effect of Age on Overall and Relative Survival Benefits of Radiotherapy for Early-Stage Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in the Rituximab Era

Figures

↓  Figure 1. Influence of age on causes of death and survival. Cumulative incidence of LRDs and non-LRDs in the age groups of < 40 years (a), 41–60 years (b), 61–80 years (c), and > 80 years (d). Association of age (as a continuous variable) with OS (e) and RS (f) based on the reference age of 60 years. The mean HRs and 95% CIs are represented by solid and dashed lines, respectively. LRD: lymphoma-related death; non-LRD: non-lymphoma-related death; OS: overall survival; RS: relative survival; CI: confidence interval; HR: hazard ratio.
Figure 1.
↓  Figure 2. Crude overall and expected survival rates in the general US population according to age groups: < 40 years (a), 41–60 years (b), 61–80 years (c), and > 80 years (d). CMT: combined-modality treatment; CT: chemotherapy.
Figure 2.
↓  Figure 3. Interaction between age and RT on survival benefits after balancing through IPTW and controlling for clinical covariates. (a) HR for OS (RT vs. non-RT) in the four age groups. (b) HR for RS (RT vs. non-RT) in the four age groups. (c) HR for OS (RT vs. non-RT) according to age as a continuous variable. The simulated plot for the interaction between age and OS efficacy of RT depicts the HR for OS in patients treated with or without RT. (d) HR for RS (RT vs. non-RT) according to age as a continuous variable. The simulated plot for the interaction between age and RS efficacy of RT depicts the HR for RS in patients treated with or without RT. HR: hazard ratio; IPTW: inverse probability of treatment weighting; OS: overall survival; RS: relative survival; RT: radiotherapy.
Figure 3.
↓  Figure 4. Relative survival differences in patients receiving initial CMT versus chemotherapy alone according to age groups: < 40 years (a), 41–60 years (b), 61–80 years (c), and > 80 years (d). CMT: combined-modality treatment; CT: chemotherapy.
Figure 4.
↓  Figure 5. Linear association of OS and RS benefits at the treatment arm level. (a) Linear associations between 5-year OS and 5-year RS rates in subgroups stratified by clinical factors and age. (b) Linear associations between 10-year OS and 10-year RS rates in subgroups stratified by clinical factors and age. (c) Linear associations between HR (RT vs. non-RT) for OS and RS across subgroups stratified by clinical factors and age. CMT: combined-modality treatment; CT: chemotherapy; HR: hazard ratio; OS: overall survival; RS: relative survival; RT: radiotherapy.
Figure 5.

Table

↓  Table 1. Baseline Characteristics of Early-Stage DLBCL Patients, Stratified by Age Groups at Diagnosis (2002–2015)
 
Characteristic 18–40 years, n (%) 41–60 years, n (%) 61–80 years, n (%) > 80 years, n (%) P
DLBCL: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; CMT: combined modality treatment; CT: chemotherapy; LRD: lymphoma-related death.
Total 1,401 (100) 3,338 (100) 4,739 (100) 1,363 (100)
Sex < 0.001
  Male 756 (54.0) 2,009 (60.2) 2,454 (51.8) 622 (45.6)
  Female 645 (46.0) 1,329 (39.8) 2,285 (48.2) 741 (54.4)
Race < 0.001
  White 1,044 (74.5) 2,659 (79.7) 3,988 (84.2) 1,203 (88.3)
  Black 182 (13.0) 335 (10.0) 255 (5.4) 35 (2.6)
  Other/unknown 175 (12.5) 344 (10.3) 496 (10.5) 125 (9.2)
Stage 0.001
  I 649 (46.3) 1,515 (45.4) 2,335 (49.3) 681 (50.0)
  II 752 (53.7) 1,823 (54.6) 2,404 (50.7) 682 (50.0)
B symptoms < 0.001
  Yes 366 (26.1) 695 (20.8) 862 (18.2) 246 (18.0)
  No 766 (54.7) 1,865 (55.9) 2,709 (57.2) 765 (56.1)
  Unknown 269 (19.2) 778 (23.3) 1,168 (24.6) 352 (25.8)
Primary site < 0.001
  Nodal 969 (69.2) 2,101 (62.9) 2,783 (58.7) 766 (56.2)
  Extranodal 432 (30.8) 1,237 (37.1) 1,956 (41.3) 597 (43.8)
Marital status < 0.001
  Married 605 (43.2) 2,030 (60.8) 2,943 (62.1) 618 (45.3)
  Divorced/separated/widowed 63 (4.5) 455 (13.6) 1,083 (22.9) 599 (43.9)
  Unmarried/single 674 (48.1) 724 (21.7) 491 (10.4) 87 (6.4)
  Unknown 59 (4.2) 129 (3.9) 222 (4.7) 59 (4.3)
Period 0.026
  2002–2008 668 (47.7) 1,550 (46.4) 2,079 (43.9) 631 (46.3)
  2009–2015 733 (52.3) 1,788 (53.6) 2,660 (56.1) 732 (53.7)
Therapy < 0.001
  CT alone 837 (59.7) 2,154 (64.5) 3,264 (68.9) 955 (70.1)
  CMT 564 (40.3) 1,184 (35.5) 1,475 (31.1) 408 (29.9)
Final outcome < 0.001
  Alive 1,222 (87.2) 2,446 (73.3) 2,296 (48.4) 229 (16.8)
  LRD 143 (10.2) 570 (17.1) 1,256 (26.5) 616 (45.2)
  Death from other cause 36 (2.6) 322 (9.6) 1,187 (25.0) 518 (38.0)