Positive minimal residual disease (MRD) status after induction and consolidation treatments for patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is associated with worse progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), according to a study published in Journal of Cancer (2021;12[2]:553-561. doi:10.7150/jca.51959).
“Previous studies showed that MRD assessment could predict survival outcomes in MCL. Also, in some previous clinical trials, surveillance of MRD can monitor response to prior therapy and may inform the need for further consolidation or maintenance therapy in MCL,” wrote Yu Zhou, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Beijing, China, and colleagues.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationships between progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with MRD status in MCL.
Authors searched databases including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library up to July 15, 2020, and patient characteristic data, MRD assessment, and survival outcomes were gathered and analyzed.
Compared with MRD negative status, MRD positive status was associated with worse PFS (HR = 1.44; 95% CI 1.27-1.62; P <.001) and OS (HR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.03-1.64; P = .03). Post-consolidation MRD status had a negative impact on survival outcomes, with MRD positivity predicting shorter PFS (HR = 1.84; 95% CI 1.49-2.26; P <.001) and OS (HR = 2.38; 95% CI 1.85-3.06; P <.001) compared with MRD negativity.
“This study indicated that MRD positivity after induction and consolidation treatments was associated with worse PFS and OS for MCL,” Dr Zhou and colleagues.
“MRD-based treatment strategies should be further explored in clinical trials and real-world practice,” they added.—Lisa Kuhns
