Health-related quality of life in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia: results from the ASPEN trial

<b>Aim</b> ASPEN is a randomized, open-label, Phase III study comparing zanubrutinib and ibrutinib in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM).<b>Materials & methods:</b> Patient-reported outcomes were exploratory end points assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D-5L VAS scores.<b>Results:</b> Overall, 201 patients (102 zanubrutinib; 99 ibrutinib) were enrolled. Clinically meaningful differences were observed in diarrhea and nausea/vomiting in both the intent-to-treat population and in patients attaining very good partial response (VGPR) in earlier cycles of treatment, as well as in long-term physical functioning and fatigue in patients achieving VGPR.<b>Conclusion:</b> Treatment with zanubrutinib was associated with greater improvements in health-related quality of life compared with ibrutinib in patients with WM and <i>MYD88</i> mutations.<b>Clinical Trial Registration:</b> NCT03053440 (ClinicalTrials.gov).