Epidemiology of Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A Population-Based Study in France

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive and rare B-cell lymphoma entity representing around 5–8% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in adults. To our knowledge no data is available on the epidemiology of MCL in France. We aimed to describe incidence, survival and main clinical characteristics of MCL in a French population.

Patients diagnosed with MCL were identified in three administrative areas covered by an haematological malignancies registry: the Côte d'Or (from 1988 to 2008), the Basse-Normandie (from 1997 to 2006) and the Gironde (from 2002 to 2006). Main clinical features and management characteristics were collected. World age-standardised incidence rates, observed survival and relative survival were estimated for the period 2002–2006.

Mantle cell lymphoma was diagnosed in 213 patients over the whole period. Seventy percent of patients were males. Over the period 2002–2006, the age-standardised incidence rate of MCL (per 100,000) was 0.72 in men (n=100) and 0.17 in women (n=35). The median age at diagnosis was 72 years (range: 30–92). Late-stage (III-IV) MCL was diagnosed in 81.5% of patients. MCL international prognostic index (MIPI) was lower or equal to intermediate risk in 36% of patients. The median relative survival time was 41 months (95% confidence interval: 38–62) and was significantly higher in patients with a low or intermediate MIPI (74 months, CI95%: 53–91) than in patients with a high risk (38 months, CI95%: 30–49). Treatment included frontline chemotherapy in 85% patients and 54% patients received rituximab. Ten percent of patients participated in a clinical trial.

Epidemiological characteristics of MCL in France were quite similar to epidemiological data reported in other industrialized countries. Incidence rates were characterized by a male-to-female ratio of 4:1. Median overall survival was less than 4 years.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.