Management of aggressive B-cell NHLs in the AYA population: an adult vs pediatric perspective

The adolescents and young adult (AYA) population represent a group wherein mature B-cell lymphomas constitute a significant proportion of the overall malignancies that occur. Among these are aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs), which are predominantly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, and Burkitt lymphoma. For the most part, there is remarkable divide in how pediatric/adolescent patients (under the age of 18 years) with lymphoma are treated vs their young adult counterparts, and molecular data are lacking, especially in pediatric and AYA series. The outcome for AYA patients with cancers has historically been inferior to that of children or older adults, highlighting the necessity to focus on this population. This review discusses the pediatric vs adult perspective in terms of how these diseases are understood and approached and emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts in both developing consensus for treatment of this population and planning future research endeavors.