Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis

Abstract Background Treatment of relapsed or refractory primary CNS lymphoma (r/r PCNSL) is difficult, particularly in patients not eligible for high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC-ASCT). No standard treatment has been defined for these patients yet. Methods We retr...

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Main Authors: Sabine Seidel, Thomas Kowalski, Verena Nilius-Eliliwi, Roland Schroers, Uwe Schlegel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-02-01
Series:Neurological Research and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-023-00234-y
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author Sabine Seidel
Thomas Kowalski
Verena Nilius-Eliliwi
Roland Schroers
Uwe Schlegel
author_facet Sabine Seidel
Thomas Kowalski
Verena Nilius-Eliliwi
Roland Schroers
Uwe Schlegel
author_sort Sabine Seidel
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Treatment of relapsed or refractory primary CNS lymphoma (r/r PCNSL) is difficult, particularly in patients not eligible for high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC-ASCT). No standard treatment has been defined for these patients yet. Methods We retrospectively analyzed survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and Karnofsky performance score (KPS) before and after treatment in 54 r/r PCNSL patients with isolated cerebral relapse or progression (n = 23 refractory, n = 31 relapsed) not eligible for HDC-ASCT, who received heterogenous salvage treatments. Results Treatments were temozolomide (+ rituximab) (n = 21), high dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based therapy (n = 11), whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT)/focal radiotherapy (n = 11), other systemic treatments (n = 2) and best supportive care (BSC, n = 9). Median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.6 months (95% CI 1.0–4.2 months) and 4.8 months (95% CI 3.3–6.3 months), respectively. Eight patients survived for ≥ 3 years (13.1%, n = 3 received temozolomide, n = 3 WBRT, n = 2 HD-MTX-based treatment). Application of any salvage treatment (vs. BSC), younger age at relapse and asymptomatic (vs. symptomatic) relapse were positive prognostic factors. No significant differences in OS were found for the different salvage treatments. Median hospitalization time for treatment was 15/13 days for temozolomide (+ rituximab)/radiotherapy compared to 55 days for HD-MTX-based therapy. Median KPS in assessable patients (n = 41) was 60 (range 30–100) before treatment and 50 (range 20–90) after treatment. In patients with response to treatment (n = 16) KPS improved from 60 (range 40–90) before treatment to 70 (range 50–90) after treatment, while patients with PD (n = 25) deteriorated from 60 (range 30–100) to 40 (range 20–70). Conclusion Survival for this cohort of r/r PCNSL patients with isolated cerebral relapse or progression was poor. Considering long hospital stays associated with HD-MTX-based chemotherapy and neurotoxicity associated with WBRT, temozolomide might be worth considering with a chance of prolonged survival and avoidance of long hospitalization. Novel therapeutic agents are urgently needed to improve survival in r/r PCNSL patients.
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spelling doaj.art-4ee914dac12f43c096e196bd5866ab582023-04-30T11:32:22ZengBMCNeurological Research and Practice2524-34892023-02-015111110.1186/s42466-023-00234-ySurvival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysisSabine Seidel0Thomas Kowalski1Verena Nilius-Eliliwi2Roland Schroers3Uwe Schlegel4Department of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University BochumDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University BochumDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University BochumDepartment of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University BochumDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital Knappschaftskrankenhaus, Ruhr University BochumAbstract Background Treatment of relapsed or refractory primary CNS lymphoma (r/r PCNSL) is difficult, particularly in patients not eligible for high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC-ASCT). No standard treatment has been defined for these patients yet. Methods We retrospectively analyzed survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and Karnofsky performance score (KPS) before and after treatment in 54 r/r PCNSL patients with isolated cerebral relapse or progression (n = 23 refractory, n = 31 relapsed) not eligible for HDC-ASCT, who received heterogenous salvage treatments. Results Treatments were temozolomide (+ rituximab) (n = 21), high dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based therapy (n = 11), whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT)/focal radiotherapy (n = 11), other systemic treatments (n = 2) and best supportive care (BSC, n = 9). Median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 2.6 months (95% CI 1.0–4.2 months) and 4.8 months (95% CI 3.3–6.3 months), respectively. Eight patients survived for ≥ 3 years (13.1%, n = 3 received temozolomide, n = 3 WBRT, n = 2 HD-MTX-based treatment). Application of any salvage treatment (vs. BSC), younger age at relapse and asymptomatic (vs. symptomatic) relapse were positive prognostic factors. No significant differences in OS were found for the different salvage treatments. Median hospitalization time for treatment was 15/13 days for temozolomide (+ rituximab)/radiotherapy compared to 55 days for HD-MTX-based therapy. Median KPS in assessable patients (n = 41) was 60 (range 30–100) before treatment and 50 (range 20–90) after treatment. In patients with response to treatment (n = 16) KPS improved from 60 (range 40–90) before treatment to 70 (range 50–90) after treatment, while patients with PD (n = 25) deteriorated from 60 (range 30–100) to 40 (range 20–70). Conclusion Survival for this cohort of r/r PCNSL patients with isolated cerebral relapse or progression was poor. Considering long hospital stays associated with HD-MTX-based chemotherapy and neurotoxicity associated with WBRT, temozolomide might be worth considering with a chance of prolonged survival and avoidance of long hospitalization. Novel therapeutic agents are urgently needed to improve survival in r/r PCNSL patients.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-023-00234-yr/r PCNSLPrimary CNS lymphomaSalvage treatmentRelapseHigh-dose methotrexateTemozolomide
spellingShingle Sabine Seidel
Thomas Kowalski
Verena Nilius-Eliliwi
Roland Schroers
Uwe Schlegel
Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
Neurological Research and Practice
r/r PCNSL
Primary CNS lymphoma
Salvage treatment
Relapse
High-dose methotrexate
Temozolomide
title Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
title_full Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
title_fullStr Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
title_full_unstemmed Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
title_short Survival, prognostic factors, hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary CNS lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis
title_sort survival prognostic factors hospitalization time and clinical performance status after first cerebral relapse or progression in 54 patients with primary cns lymphoma not eligible for high dose chemotherapy a retrospective analysis
topic r/r PCNSL
Primary CNS lymphoma
Salvage treatment
Relapse
High-dose methotrexate
Temozolomide
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-023-00234-y
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