A comprehensive SEER registry analysis of elderly patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma based on treatment era and race

We conducted a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER-18) registry analysis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) patients more than 60 years old and compared outcomes of those diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 (cohort 1) to those identified between 2011 and 2015 (cohort 2) based on treatment era and race. Cohort 1 had a median overall survival (OS) of 4 years and cohort 2 had a median OS of 4.75 years [hazard ratio (HR): 0.92 (0.85-1.00); p = 0.052]. Non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs) had a similar 5-year OS compared to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) of 48.6% vs. 50.2% (HR: 0.95 [0.79-1.15]; p > 0.99); on the contrary, Hispanics had worse 5-year OS of 41.8% vs. 48.6% (HR: 1.24 [1.09-1.41]; p < 0.001). NHW was the only race that had improvement in 5-year OS in 2011-2015 compared to 2006-2010 (51% vs. 46.5%, p = 0.002). In the multivariable analysis, older age, male gender, stage III-IV, unmarried status, Hispanic race, lack of chemotherapy, and diagnosis in 2006-2010 were associated with worse OS. Lymphoma was the most common cause of death in 60% of patients. In conclusion, elderly cHL patients diagnosed after 2010 had improved OS by nine months that was most prevalent in NHWs, and disparity in OS existed between NHWs and Hispanics throughout the study period.