Deferred treatment is a safe and viable option for selected patients with mantle cell lymphoma

Prospective identification of candidates for deferred therapy is not standardized and many patients receive immediate therapy regardless of risk. We conducted a retrospective, multi-center cohort analysis of MCL patients with comprehensive clinical data to examine the use and safety of deferred therapy for newly diagnosed patients. Previously untreated patients ≥18 years-old with MCL diagnosed in 1993–2015 at five academic sites were included. Of 395 patients, 72 (18%) received deferred therapy (defined as receipt of first treatment >90 days following initial diagnosis). Patients receiving deferred therapy were more likely to have an ECOG performance status of 0 (67 versus 44% p =.001), have no B symptoms (83 versus 65% p =.003) and have normal LDH levels at diagnosis (87 versus 55% p <.001). In multivariable analysis, deferred therapy was not associated with a significant difference in OS (HR 0.64: 95% CI 0.22–1.84, p =.407).