Clinical features and diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma

This article reviews the clinical features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic testing, and staging evaluation in both immunocompetent and AIDS patients who have PCNSL are discussed. The differing role of biopsy in these two populations also is addressed.     

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的临床特征分析

 目的　分析原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤（PCNSL）的临床特征,探讨影响疾病的预后因素,并对不同的治疗方案进行评价。方法　回顾性分析初发PCNSL患者的临床资料、治疗经过及随访结果,应用Log-rank进行单因素分析,应用COX回归模型进行生存资料的多因素分析。结果　共收集PCNSL初发病例64例,中位年龄54.9岁,男性多于女性,肿瘤单发62 %（40／64）,深部病变占54 %（33／61）。在我科诊治的具有完整治疗资料的患者26例,其中19例患者初始治疗为单纯化疗,6例为全颅放疗（WBRT）后1个月进行化疗,1例患者初治时仅行WBRT。中位生存时间为17个月,血红蛋白≥9 g／L患者的生存时间长于血红蛋白＜9 g／L患者。年龄>60岁、性别、体能状态、病变部位等因素对预后无明显影响。应用含大剂量甲氨蝶呤（HD-MTX）或替尼泊苷的方案化疗者的预后优于未使用者,化疗联合放疗可能有助于改善患者的预后（χ2＝3.24,P＝0.07）,应用CHOP方案（环磷酰胺、多柔比星、长春新碱、泼尼松）、利妥昔单抗、鞘内注射化疗药物等与预后关系不大;多因素分析提示HD-MTX是影响PCNSL患者生存时间的独立有利因素,颅内病灶部位、病灶的多少、是否联合放化疗等均不是影响预后的独立因素。结论　PCNSL预后较差,应用HD-MTX、替尼泊苷等药物可改善患者的预后,贫血尤其中重度贫血患者预后不良。     

AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) can develop in the setting of profound immunosuppression, including late-stage infection with HIV. The management of such patients has yet to be defined optimally and differs substantially from that of immunocompetent patients who have PCNSL. The clinical features, diagnosis, and management of AIDS-related PCNSL are reviewed. The authors focus on commonly encountered diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas and explore some promises and pitfalls of Epstein-Barr virus-directed therapies.     

原发中枢神经系统淋巴瘤研究进展

原发中枢神经系统淋巴瘤(PCNSL)是原发于颅内的结外非霍奇金淋巴瘤,是一种罕见的高侵袭性淋巴瘤,预后较差.近年来,关于PCNSL的治疗方案尚无定论,以往的治疗包括手术、放疗、化疗等.目前大多认为综合治疗可以提高患者的生存率,而联合化疗药物的选择和预防性鞘内注射化疗药物在其治疗中占有重要地位.     

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的治疗

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤(PCNSL)是一种较少见的中枢神经系统恶性肿瘤,总体预后欠佳,主要治疗方法包括手术、放疗和化疗.立体定向活检术以其微创、便捷的优点,已经成为确诊PCNSL的常规方法.全脑放疗是多病灶性PCNSL的标准化治疗方法,可短期内延缓肿瘤进展.以大剂量甲氨蝶呤为基础的治疗方案大大改善了PCNSL的治疗效果,成为PCNSL的有效治疗措施.有效的综合治疗是延长PCNSL患者生存期和改善生命质量的关键.     

Treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) describes a malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) whose sole site of involvement is the central nervous system (CNS). The diagnosis of PCNSL must be differentiated from systemic NHL with metastasis to the CNS, which usually occurs late in the course of systemic disease. PCNSL accounts for approximately 4% to 7% of primary brain tumors, and its incidence has been increasing since the mid-1970s. Compared with other more common malignant primary brain tumors, PCNSL tends to be more amenable to radiotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic intervention. In this article, the authors review the standard treatment for upfront and recurrent PCNSL.     

Treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare neoplasm that has captured popular attention because of its rising incidence and marked chemosensitivity. It is a non-Hodgkins B-cell lymphoma (NHL) that appears confined to the central nervous system (CNS) at presentation but may be multifocal within the brain or involve the leptomeninges or eyes at diagnosis. Like systemic lymphoma, it is highly sensitive to corticosteroids, and administration of steroids should be withheld until the diagnosis has been confirmed histologically. Currently, the initial treatment of choice incorporates high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) either as a single agent or in combination with other systemic chemotherapies. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) can be a highly effective treatment modality when combined with MTX, but the combination causes an unacceptably high incidence of severe permanent neurotoxicity, particularly in patients over age 60. Therefore, chemotherapy alone is the initial treatment of choice in older patients. This approach is also being explored in younger patients, but it is possible that deferring radiotherapy may compromise disease control. Consequently, the role of radiotherapy remains to be clarified in newly diagnosed younger patients with PCNSL.     

原发中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的治疗

原发中枢神经系统淋巴瘤(PCNSL)是一种少见的非霍奇金淋巴瘤(NHL),其治疗观念在过去的20年中发生了巨大的改变,现总结探索其治疗方式的研究工作.     

Mutational analysis of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Little is known about the genomic basis of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) tumorigenesis. To investigate the mutational profile of PCNSL, we analyzed nine paired tumor and germline DNA samples from PCNSL patients by high throughput exome sequencing. Eight genes of interest have been further investigated by focused resequencing in 28 additional PCNSL tumors to better estimate their incidence. Our study identified recurrent somatic mutations in 37 genes, some involved in key signaling pathways such as NFKB, B cell differentiation and cell cycle control. Focused resequencing in the larger cohort revealed high mutation rates for genes already described as mutated in PCNSL such as MYD88 (38%), CD79B (30%), PIM1 (22%) and TBL1XR1 (19%) and for genes not previously reported to be involved in PCNSL tumorigenesis such as ETV6 (16%), IRF4 (14%), IRF2BP2 (11%) and EBF1 (11%). Of note, only 3 somatically acquired SNVs were annotated in the COSMIC database. Our results demonstrate a high genetic heterogeneity of PCNSL and mutational pattern similarities with extracerebral diffuse large B cell lymphomas, particularly of the activated B-cell (ABC) subtype, suggesting shared underlying biological mechanisms. The present study provides new insights into the mutational profile of PCNSL and potential targets for therapeutic strategies.     

Unusual variants of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Rare variants of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) include unusual sites of presentation (eg, neurolymphomatosis and primary leptomeningeal lymphoma) and uncommon pathologic entities. Neurolymphomatosis involves peripheral nerves and nerve roots in addition to systemic and central nervous system (CNS) sites. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, and treatment incorporates the principles of therapy for systemic and CNS lymphoma. Primary leptomeningeal lymphoma can present with symptoms of raised intracranial pressure or cranial or spinal polyradiculopathies. Diagnosis can be made by examining cerebrospinal fluid and incorporating immunophenotyping and molecular pathology techniques. Treatment options include irradiation and intrathecal or systemic chemotherapy. The features of PCNSL of T-cell origin and indolent B-cell PCNSL also are discussed.     

Diagnosis and management of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and aggressive extranodal non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that is confined to the brain, eyes, spinal cord, or leptomeninges without systemic involvement. The overall prognosis, diagnosis, and management of PCNSL differ from those for other types of NHL. Prompt diagnosis and initiation of treatment are vital for improving clinical outcomes. PCNSL is responsive to radiation therapy; however, whole‐brain radiotherapy (WBRT) inadequately controls the disease when it is used alone, and its delayed neurotoxicity causes neurocognitive impairment, especially in elderly patients. High‐dose methotrexate (HD‐MTX)–based induction chemotherapy with or without autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or reduced‐dose WBRT leads to durable disease control and less neurotoxicity. The optimal treatment has yet to be defined; however, HD‐MTX–based induction chemotherapy is considered standard for newly diagnosed PCNSL. Ongoing randomized trials are addressing the roles of rituximab and consolidative treatment with ASCT or reduced‐dose WBRT. Despite high tumor response rates with the initial treatment, many patients relapse with a very poor prognosis. The optimal treatment for refractory or relapsed PCNSL is poorly defined. The choice of salvage treatment depends on a patient's age, previous treatment and response, performance status, and comorbidities at the time of relapse. This review provides an overview of the clinical features, diagnosis, pathology, and management of PCNSL in immunocompetent patients, and it focuses on recent advances in treatment. Cancer 2017;123:4314‐24 . © 2017 American Cancer Society.     

原发中枢神经系统恶性淋巴瘤的诊断及治疗

目的:探讨原发中枢神经系统恶性淋巴瘤(PCNSL)的临床、影像学表现,治疗方案选择和预后. 方法: 对24例PCNSL的诊断、治疗过程、预后进行回顾性分析. 结果: PCNSL的临床表现以颅内压增高、局灶占位性病变损伤症状为主,肿瘤可单发或多发;肿瘤影像学缺乏特异性,确诊依靠病理学诊断. 结论: PCNSL恶性度高,预后不良,手术全切率低;对确诊病例采用个体化的手术方案结合术后放、化疗是治疗本病的关键,可显著延长患者生存时间.     

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的诊断和治疗

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤(PCNSL)是一种较罕见的中枢神经系统恶性肿瘤,其生物学行为具有侵袭性,临床无典型性,病理形态存在异质性,影像表现多样性,依靠病理免疫组织化学及分子生物学方可确诊.各种以大剂量甲氨蝶呤为基础的治疗方案,改善了PCNSL的治疗效果,并成为PCNSL的标准治疗措施,患者的生存率较单用放疗得以显著地提高.早期诊断并进行有效的综合治疗是延长PCNSL患者生存期和改善生活质量的关键.     

原发中枢神经系统恶性淋巴瘤的诊断及治疗

目的：探讨原发中枢神经系统恶性淋巴瘤（PCNSL）的临床、影像学表现,治疗方案选择和预后。方法：对24例PCNSL的诊断、治疗过程、预后进行回顾性分析。结果：PCNSL的临床表现以颅内压增高、局灶占位性病变损伤症状为主,肿瘤可单发或多发;肿瘤影像学缺乏特异性,确诊依靠病理学诊断。结论：PCNSL恶性度高,预后不良,手术全切率低;对确诊病例采用个体化的手术方案结合术后放、化疗是治疗本病的关键,可显著延长患者生存时间。     

Diagnosis and treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an uncommon form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) that has been increasing in incidence over the past three decades. Unlike systemic extranodal NHL, the response to therapy for PCNSL patients has been somewhat unsatisfactory. However, methotrexate-based chemotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy have improved the outcome of patients. Unfortunately, treatment-related neurotoxicity is common, especially in the elderly. Although progress has been made in treating PCNSL, there remains no optimal methotrexate dose or frequency. Treatment of recurrence also remains controversial. These important questions have prompted several clinical studies looking at novel ways to intensify chemotherapy and limit neurotoxicity.     

An update on primary central nervous system lymphoma

The most important recent advance in treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma has been the introduction of high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy. Convincing data demonstrate that the regimens of such chemotherapy improve survival compared with historical controls treated with radiotherapy alone. However, the optical treatment approach is still unclear and therapy can be associated with long-term neurotoxicity. Current research focuses on maximizing survival while minimizing neurologic sequelae.     

Second-line treatment for primary central nervous system lymphoma

Failure after first-line treatment was reported in 35-60% of immunocompetent patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). There are currently no reports focusing on salvage therapy. This review analyses prognostic factors and the efficacy of salvage therapy by focusing on data from papers reporting results of first-line treatment in 355 cases. The study group consisted of 173 patients presenting treatment failure. The interval between failure and death (TTD) was compared for age at relapse (< or =60 vs. >60 years), type of failure (relapse vs. progression), time to relapse (< or =12 vs. >12 months) and salvage treatment (yes vs no). Median TTD was similar in younger and older patients (P = 0.09). Relapsed patients had a longer TTD than patients with progressive disease (P = 0.002). Early relapse led to a shorter TTD than late relapse (P = 0.005). Median TTD was 14 months for patients who underwent salvage therapy and 2 months for untreated cases (P<0.00001). A multivariate analysis showed an independent prognostic role for salvage therapy and time to relapse. Age and type of failure had no predictive value. Salvage therapy significantly improves outcome and, possibly, quality of life. As many different treatments were used conclusions cannot be made regarding an optimal treatment schedule.     

Diagnostic delay in primary central nervous system lymphoma

This study investigates delay in diagnosing primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), which has a variable clinical and radiological presentation. Early diagnosis and treatment may improve survival and cause less sequela in PCNSL. Medical records of all new cases of PCNSL morphologically verified while alive or by autopsy in Norway in 1989-1998 were reviewed (n = 74). The time from initial symptom to final morphological diagnosis of PCNSL had a median (mean, range) of 70 (106, 22-330) days in 16 AIDS patients and 75 (157, 8-1285) days in 58 non-AIDS patients. Among non-AIDS patients, the time to diagnosis was longer in patients with no tumour in the first neuroimaging report after initial symptom (p = 0.001). Median (mean, range) time from initial symptom to neuroimaging was 14 (25, 1-60) days in AIDS patients and 21 (88, 1-1095) days in non-AIDS patients. In the non-AIDS group, those presenting with personality change or visual disturbance had more delayed imaging than the others. The time from first neuroimaging examination to final diagnosis in non-AIDS patients had a median (mean, range) of 28 (69, 1-845) days, and was longer when no tumour was indicated in the imaging report (p = 0.005) and if first biopsy did not confirm the diagnosis (p = 0.02). All AIDS patients had their diagnosis of PCNSL first established by autopsy. The time from first neuroimaging to autopsy had a median (mean, range) of 48 (81, 10-270) days. There is a considerable delay in the diagnosis of PCNSL and strategies for earlier diagnosis are thus needed. Physicians should consider early neuroimaging in patients with personality changes or visual disturbance, early renewed imaging in patients with persistent neurological symptoms but no tumour on initial imaging, and early/repeated biopsy of focal brain lesions in both AIDS patients and non-AIDS patients.