This study was aimed at analyzing long-term data on survival, relapse, and treatment-related neurotoxicity in all patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) and patients specifically treated with the C5R protocol (

Blay et al,
Blood
86
:
2922
,
1995
). We also identified prognostic factors of survival in order to propose a predictive model.132 patients with PCNSL seen at Leon Berard cancer centre between 1984 and 2006 were analyzed. Median age was 59 years (range: 26–81); 49% of the patients had a performance status (PS) of 2 to 4; 8% had leptomeningeal and ocular involvement. Initial treatment was chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 122 patients and chemotherapy alone in 10. Fifteen patients did not receive high-dose methotrexate as part of initial chemotherapy. The median overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for the whole series were 21.6 and 13.3 months for a median follow-up of 84.2 months. Twenty-five (19%) patients experienced toxic death, 24 (18%) progressed during treatment and 39 (30%) relapsed. Neurotoxicity was observed in 16% of the patients. Of the 49 patients receiving the intensive C5R protocol, 6 (12%) experienced toxic death, 3 (6%) progressed during treatment, 17 (35%) relapsed and 14% developed leukoencephalopathy. Median OS and PFS for patients treated with the C5R protocol were 73.8 and 44.4 months, respectively. Univariate analysis of the whole series showed that age over 60 years, elevated serum LDH, PS greater than 1 and the International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group score were prognostic factors for OS and PFS, but not the presence of deep or multiple lesions or a high CSF protein level. The backward regression model integrating age, serum LDH, number and location of lesions, and CSF protein level showed that age, serum LDH and a tumor location within deep regions were predictive of OS and PFS. Four prognostic groups presenting 0, 1, 2 or 3 factors could be significantly distinguished regarding OS and PFS.

Overall Survival probability as a function of the number of risk factors among abnormal LDH, Age at diagnosis > 60 and deep lesion
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Overall Survival probability as a function of the number of risk factors among abnormal LDH, Age at diagnosis > 60 and deep lesion

Overall Survival probability as a function of the number of risk factors among abnormal LDH, Age at diagnosis > 60 and deep lesion
View largeDownload slide

Overall Survival probability as a function of the number of risk factors among abnormal LDH, Age at diagnosis > 60 and deep lesion

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This study allowed to identify a new prognostic model using 3 factors. This model has the interest to withdraw the PS which could be a subjective data and CSF protein level for which the accurate cutoff is not well known. This study also showed that, with a long follow-up, patients treated with the C5R protocol have excellent OS and PFS.

Topics:
cancer care facilities, follow-up, primary central nervous system lymphoma, immunocompetence, cerebrospinal fluid proteins, chemotherapy regimen, lactate dehydrogenase test, serum, neurotoxicity syndromes, prognostic factors, leukoencephalopathies

Author notes

Disclosure: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

2007, The American Society of Hematology
2007
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