#3-26E. B Cells at the Brink: Navigating Lymphoma Risk and Novel Therapies in Sjögren Disease (Arthritis Rheumatol, 2026)

Is disease modification finally within reach for Sjögren disease (SjD)? This episode examines a pivotal review regarding the central role of B cells in driving both autoimmunity and lymphomagenesis. The authors explore "endotyping" as a tool to stratify patients, detailing how specific high B-cell activity profiles correlate with increased lymphoma risk. Crucially, the review highlights that unlike previous failures with rituximab, novel B cell–targeted agents such as ianalumab and nipocalimab have successfully met Phase II endpoints, signaling a paradigm shift from symptomatic management to targeted disease modification. However, when critically appraising these findings, it is important to note that while endotyping holds promise for precision medicine, further longitudinal validation is required to determine if these classifications can reliably guide therapeutic selection in clinical settings. For physicians, this paper is essential for refining the identification of patients at high risk for lymphoma in daily practice and provides a necessary foundation for understanding the mechanisms of upcoming biologic therapies.

Citation: Gordon RA, McCoy SS. Sjögren Disease—B Cells at the Brink: From Autoimmunity to Lymphomagenesis and the Rise of Novel B Cell–Targeted Therapies. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2026. DOI: 10.1002/art.43404

Disclaimer: This audio summary is based on personal interpretation and does not guarantee the exact content of the original paper. Please refer to the original article for details.