High-risk DLBCL: interim PET? Not yet

In this issue of Blood, Casasnovas et al demonstrate that among diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) patients with age-adjusted International Prognostic Index (aaIPI) 2-3, the dose-dense immunochemotherapy (IC) regimen rituximab, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, bleomycin, prednisone (R-ACVBP) was no better than rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP14). Using an interim positron emission tomography (PET)-adapted approach to consolidation therapy, they show that quantitative rather than qualitative PET assessment may better select some patients needing alternative treatments, including autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).(1)