Primary central nervous system lymphoma: a clinicopathological study of 28 cases

Leptomeningeal metastases presenting exclusively with ocular disturbance in 34 patients: A tertiary care cancer hospital experience

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) represents disseminated intracranial metastatic disease that requires early detection and initiation of therapy. Patients with LMD typically present with a variety of neurologic problems, including ocular disturbances. However, little is reported on LMD presenting exclusively with ocular-related disturbances in the absence of any other central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Our goal was to describe the workup for ocular disturbances in the setting of known cancer diagnosis. Retrospective case study utilizing prospectively collected database at a tertiary cancer care center for all patients with diagnosis of LMD between 2001 and 2009. Main outcome was descriptive analysis of ocular findings by primary or admitting service with or without formal ophthalmology exam in workup for LMD. 34 patients demonstrated ocular disturbances without any other CNS manifestations. Our findings demonstrate that 71% of ocular disturbances were detected by the primary admitting services. Formal consultation with ophthalmology resulted in the detection of the remaining cases. The most common findings were cranial nerve deficits, papilledema, and optic disc or retinal infiltration by tumor. These findings supported a further work-up for CNS disease. Therefore, it is appropriate to refer cancer patients with visual complaints or findings on exam to ophthalmology to evaluate for evidence suggestive of LMD that may support a further work-up.

F-18 FDG PET/CT for detection of malignant involvement of peripheral nerves: case series and literature review

PURPOSE

To evaluate the role of positron emission tomography plus computed tomography (PET/CT) scans in detecting malignant involvement of the peripheral nerves (PNs).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all PET/CT studies performed at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2003 and 2009, and selected patients in whom F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT findings were suspicious for malignant involvement of the PNs. We identified 26 cases of suspected tumorous involvement of the PNs that was subsequently confirmed by either biopsy or clinical follow-up. We evaluated the value of PET/CT in diagnosing malignant involvement of the PNs.

RESULTS

Of the 26 patients, 12 had lymphoma, 10 had breast cancer, 2 had lung cancer, 1 had colon cancer, and 1 had melanoma. In 21 patients, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, either for follow-up of the PET/CT finding or to find an explanation for symptoms. MRI confirmed the presence of disease in only 9 patients, was interpreted as normal in 7 patients, and was inconclusive in 5 patients. FDG PET/CT was able to differentiate an active tumor from post-treatment fibrosis and could assess response to therapy with a high degree of confidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that FDG PET/CT is helpful in diagnosing malignant involvement of the PNs, especially when findings from anatomic imaging (MRI or CT) are negative. In cases of known treated malignancy involving the PNs, follow-up by PET/CT has the advantage of high sensitivity for local recurrence.

Detection of free immunoglobulin light chains in cerebrospinal fluids of patients with central nervous system lymphomas

Diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma depends on histopathology of brain biopsies, because no reliable disease marker in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been identified yet. B-cell lymphomas such as CNS lymphomas are clonally restricted and express either kappa or lambda immunoglobulin light chains. The aim of this study was to find out a potential diagnostic value of free immunoglobulin light chains released into the CSF of CNS lymphoma patients. Kappa (kappa) and lambda (lambda) free immunoglobulin light chains (FLC) were measured in CSF and serum samples collected from 21 patients with primary and secondary CNS lymphomas and 14 control patients with different neurologic disorders. FLC concentrations and ratios were compared between patient groups and were further analyzed in correlation with clinical, cytopathological, and radiological findings. FLC concentrations for all patients were lower in CSF when compared to serum. In patients with CNS lymphoma, the FLC ratios in CSF were higher (range 392-0.3) compared to control patients (range 3.0-0.3). Irrespective of cytopathological proven lymphomatous meningitis, in 11/21 lymphoma CSF samples the FLC ratios were markedly above 3.0 indicating a clonally restricted B-cell population. Increased FLC ratios in CSF were found in those patients showing subependymal lymphoma contact as detected in magnetic resonance imaging. In summary, this is the first report demonstrating that a significant proportion of patients with CNS lymphomas display a markedly increased FLC ratio in the CSF.

[Lymphoma of the pituitary stalk]

INTRODUCTION

Tumors of the pituitary stalk are rare and their diagnosis is sometimes difficult.

CASE REPORT

We report a case of a primary lymphoma of the pituitary stalk in a 78-year-old patient. To our knowledge, only seven similar cases have been previously published: prominent symptoms were headache, fatigue and diplopia; biologically, anterior pituitary low secretion or hyperprolactinemia were found in the majority of cases; regarding the imaging, only three patients presented an initial and isolated lesion of the stalk; histological evidence was obtained by a trans-sphenoidal biopsy in case of hypothalamic or pituitary associated lesion or by a trans-cranial biopsy in the event of an isolated lesion. As an alternative, a lumbar puncture could be performed; although less invasive, its diagnostic performance is lower.

CONCLUSION

Current treatment relies on chemotherapy with intravenous methotrexate associated with intrathecal methotrexate infusion if cerebrospinal showed abnormal cells. Unfortunately, the results remain poor with a median survival of 9 months.

Primary meningeal lymphoma of T-cell origin: a rare presentation of primary central nervous system lymphomas

Primary meningeal lymphoma is a rare clinical entity. Central nervous system infiltration by systemic lymphoma should always be excluded. Diagnosis can be difficult, and prognosis is usually poor. Most are of B-cell origin. We present the case of a young man with a primary meningeal lymphoma of T-cell origin. He was treated with systemic chemotherapy with high-dose methotrexate and cytarabine and intraventricular chemotherapy. He had a clinical improvement and a complete remission, with a long overall survival. There is no standard treatment for this rare disease. Traditionally, treatment has been based in craniospinal radiation therapy and intrathecal chemotherapy, with poor overall results. More recently, systemic chemotherapy with high-dose methotrexate has been advocated, which could avoid the long-term toxicity of craniospinal radiation therapy, and could improve the prognosis of these patients.

Cognitive functions in primary central nervous system lymphoma: literature review and assessment guidelines

BACKGROUND

Treatment-related neurotoxicity has been recognized as a significant problem in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) as effective treatment has increased survival rates. There is, however, a paucity of research on cognitive functions in this population.

DESIGN

In a review of the literature, a total of 17 articles that described cognitive outcome in adult PCNSL patients were identified.

RESULTS

The studies that assessed cognitive functions after whole-brain radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy reported cognitive impairment in most patients. Patients treated with chemotherapy alone had either stable or improved cognitive performance in most studies. Methodological problems, however, limited the ability to ascertain the specific contribution of disease and various treatment interventions to cognitive outcome. On the basis of the literature review, a battery of cognitive and quality-of-life (QoL) measures to be used in prospective clinical trials was proposed. The battery is composed of five standardized neuropsychological tests, covering four domains sensitive to disease and treatment effects (attention, executive functions, memory, psychomotor speed), and QoL questionnaires, and meets criteria for use in collaborative trials.

CONCLUSION

The incorporation of formal and systematic cognitive evaluations in PCNSL studies will improve our understanding of treatment-related neurotoxicity in this population.

Isolated Cranial Nerve III Palsy as the Presenting Manifestation of HIV-related Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Clinical, radiological and Postmortem Observations: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

Rarely can a neurologically isolated cranial nerve III palsy be the presenting manifestation of central nervous system lymphoma. We detail the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of a previously healthy 45-year-old man presenting with an isolated, pupil-involving, right cranial nerve III palsy due to human immunodefiency virus (HIV) related non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated bilateral peripheral cranial nerve III enhancement with no brain parenchymal or leptomeningeal abnormalities. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a monocytic pleocytosis with an elevated protein concentration and depressed glucose level. Morphologic and flow cytometric analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid was compatible with a large B-cell lymphoma. Serologic tests for HIV were positive. Postmortem examination of the brain revealed malignant lymphomatous cell infiltration of both cranial nerve III, diffuse leptomeningeal disease and focal superficial subependymal and subpial invasion. Based on our review of the literature, we were able to find only 10 detailed cases of cranial nerve III palsy as the presenting manifestation of central nervous system lymphoma. Furthermore, none of the previously reported cases correlated the magnetic resonance imaging findings with the gross and histopathologic observations.

Treatment-related neurotoxicity

Two challenges need to be addressed to improve the outcome of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. The first challenge is to develop therapies that result in less toxicity and improved long-term outcome. The second challenge is to develop interventions to help those patients who develop treatment-related neurotoxicity; ongoing collaborative efforts are required to improve communication and understanding of this complication. Long-term follow up of prospective therapeutic studies should report on both disease control and the development of neurotoxicity. New protocols should include prospective longitudinal measures of neurocognitive function.

Lymphomatosis cerebri as a cause of white matter dementia

Primary central nervous system lymphoma most often presents as a solitary, isolated lesion in immunocompetent patients. Rarely, the disease presents as a diffuse, infiltrating condition without formation of a cohesive mass, a pattern called lymphomatosis cerebri. We present 3 immunocompetent individuals who developed rapidly progressive dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging features mimicked other disorders of white matter and prompted preoperative diagnoses of Binswanger's disease (subcortical ischemic vascular dementia), unknown leukoencephalopathy, viral infection, or infiltrating glioma. Neuropathologic examination at biopsy (Poon T, Matoso I, Tchertkoff V, Weitzner I Jr, Gade M. CT features of primary cerebral lymphoma in AIDS and non-AIDS patients. J Comput Assist Tomogr . 1989;13:6-9) and autopsy (Schwaighofer BW, Hesselink JR, Press GA, Wolf RL, Healy ME, Berthoty DP. Primary intracranial CNS lymphoma: MR manifestations. Am J Neuroradiol . 1993;10:725-9) demonstrated nonnecrotic, diffusely infiltrating, large-cell B-cell lymphoma of white matter, with relative sparing of gray matter, and without significant leptomeningeal involvement or bulky periventricular disease at autopsy. Microglial and astrocytic reactions, but only subtle myelin pallor, were evident as individual tumor cells permeated the entire brain and spinal cord, albeit with considerable variation in cell density. Individual tumor cells could be identified from the optic nerve to spinal cord, documenting the "whole-brain" nature of the disease. CD20 immunostaining was necessary to fully appreciate the extent of individual lymphoma cell percolation through the white matter. The neurobehavioral deficits manifested by these patients demonstrate that lymphomatosis cerebri is an additional neoplastic cause of white matter dementia and can be added to the growing list of disorders responsible for this syndrome.

Pharmacokinetics Following Intraventricular Administration of Chemotherapy in Patients with Neoplastic Meningitis

Intraventricular administration of chemotherapy is one approach to overcoming the limited distribution of anticancer drugs and their active metabolites into the CNS. This form of regional chemotherapy has led to effective treatment of occult and overt meningeal leukaemia in humans. In contrast, the efficacy of this therapy is extremely limited in the treatment of leptomeningeal dissemination of various solid tumours. Pharmacokinetic studies of the commonly intraventricularly applied anticancer agents in humans have demonstrated that, using low drug doses, very high drug concentrations can be achieved in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and relatively high concentrations in the leptomeninges but not in the brain tissue and the plasma. Therefore, this approach is not an effective treatment for bulky disease of brain tissue, and results in minimal systemic toxicity. In comparison with intralumbar administration, lower interpatient variability of CSF drug concentrations and improved clinical efficacy were observed. 'Concentration x time' schedules, i.e. frequent small drug doses over a short period, enable long-term CSF exposure to cytotoxic drug concentrations while avoiding excessively high and potentially neurotoxic drug concentrations. The technique of ventriculolumbar cerebrospinal perfusion delivers continuously high drug concentrations throughout the CSF for several hours, but its widespread use is limited by the technical complexities of this approach. In this article, the dosages, schedules and pharmacokinetic data of routinely used intraventricular agents in humans, e.g. methotrexate, cytarabine, glucocorticoids and thiotepa, are outlined in detail. In addition, pharmacokinetic data of investigational agents for intraventricular administration (diaziquone, DTC 101, mercaptopurine, mafosfamide, etoposide, topotecan, nimustine [ACNU] and bleomycin) are presented. Better understanding of the CSF pharmacology of these drugs is an essential prerequisite for safe, effective administration of these drugs. Investigational efforts are underway to verify the feasibility and efficacy of different dosages, schedules and combination therapies of these new intra-CSF agents. Current and future clinical research should also focus on methods allowing the delivery of tumoricidal drug concentrations for extended periods into the CSF and the brain tissue while minimising neurotoxicity and systemic toxicity (e.g. liposomal drug preparations, monoclonal antibodies, immunotoxins and gene therapy).

Intraventricular and intravenous treatment of a patient with refractory primary CNS lymphoma using rituximab

The treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) with chemo- and radiotherapy is efficient in terms of tumor response. However, time to tumor progression often is of short duration and leptomeningeal relapse is common. We present a 66-year-old man in third relapse of a CD20-positive PCNSL. After treatment with intravenous and intraventricular administration of the chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab, a total clearing of lymphoma cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was achieved. There was no change in the size of the parenchymal tumor mass but there was slight improvement of clinical symptoms after therapy. Rituximab infusions (375 mg/m2) were first given systemically on days 1 and 8. Intraventricular injections of rituximab via Ommaya reservoir were given on days 16 (10 mg), 17 (40 mg), 24 (25 mg) and 25 (25 mg). Reversible side effects such as nausea, chills and hypotension were observed only immediately after intraventricular administration of 40 mg rituximab. Antibody levels in CSF were measured at 7 timepoints during and after the treatment period. These data suggest that intraventicular treatment with rituximab is safe and feasible with a potential activity on leptomeningeal tumor manifestation. Efficacy and pharmacokinetics of rituximab in PCNSL should be investigated in future trials.

Analysis of immunoglobulin H gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction in primary central nervous system lymphoma

OBJECT

Diagnosing primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) may be difficult either because of a paucity of tumor cells in the brain biopsy specimens or a failure to demonstrate monoclonality on immunomorphological studies. Monoclonality can also be demonstrated by amplification of the rearranged immunoglobulin H genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to the framework region (FR)3 and FR2 complementarity determining region (CDR)-III and CDR-II of these genes. The PCR method is feasible with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy material and has proven to be helpful in the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma on biopsy samples obtained from various locations in the body. Nevertheless, few studies have addressed the value of this method in the context of PCNSL. In the present study, the contribution of both FR3 single and FR2 seminested PCR procedures for confirming the diagnosis of PCNSL was estimated retrospectively in 30 cases of PCNSL and in three cases of epidural lymphoma.

METHODS

Twenty-eight cases of immunophenotypically confirmed PCNSL and two of suspected lymphoma were studied. Tissue specimens obtained in 22 cases of other cerebral diseases, among which were various inflammatory conditions. were used as negative controls. In 18 (60%) of 30 cases the results of FR3 PCR demonstrated monoclonality, whereas FR2 PCR showed monoclonality in 12 cases (40%). In 11 cases FR3 PCR yielded monoclonal patterns and FR2 PCR did not, whereas reversibly in five cases FR2 PCR proved monoclonality and FR3 PCR failed to do so. Adding the results of FR3 to those of FR2 PCR, monoclonal patterns were obtained in 23 (77%) of 30 cases. In both cases in which lymphoma was suspected but not proven immunomorphologically, FR3 PCR revealed monoclonality, as did FR2 PCR in one case. In all 22 control lesions either polyclonal patterns were seen or no consistent patterns were obtained. In the PCNSL group, older age of patients and multifocal presentation of lesions on neuroimaging were significantly associated with worse survival. No correlation between histological subtype and clinical outcome was elucidated.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of FR3 and FR2 PCR is a useful additional tool in making the diagnosis of PCNSL. Moreover, in some cases the PCR method may be essential in distinguishing neoplasia from reactive conditions.

Carboxypeptidase-G2 rescue in cancer patients with delayed methotrexate elimination after high-dose methotrexate therapy

High-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) is a component of many cancer treatment regimens. Despite careful management, delayed renal clearance, followed by extremely high serum levels with potentially life-threatening toxicity can occur. In the present study, we report our results of carboxypeptidase-G2 (CPDG2) rescue in 8 patients with delayed methotrexate elimination and renal impairment after HDMTX therapy for lymphoma or osteosarcoma. A dose of 50 U/kg CPDG2 was administered. MTX plasma levels decreased rapidly and recovery of renal function was observed in all patients. No patient developed severe WHO grade 4 MTX toxicity. CPDG2 provides an alternative route of MTX elimination by converting it to inactive and non-toxic metabolites. CPDG2 rescue was well tolerated, safe and very effective in preventing severe or life-threatening MTX toxicity.

Cognitive functioning and quality of life in long-term adult survivors of bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND

The late neurotoxic effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on cognitive functioning and quality of life (QOL) were investigated in a consecutively treated cohort of long-term adult survivors.

METHODS

Progression-free patients treated with BMT or peripheral stem cell grafts for a hematologic malignancy at least 2 years before study participation were examined with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests and questionnaires for QOL and mood states. The results of the neuropsychological tests were compared with healthy population norms.

RESULTS

Forty patients were included, 87.5% of whom had undergone an allogeneic transplantation. All received total body irradiation up to 12 Gy (in two fractions). Assessment took place 22-82 months after BMT. Mild to moderate cognitive impairment was found in 24 patients (60%). Compared with healthy population norms, selective attention and executive function, information processing speed, verbal learning, and verbal and visual memory were most likely to be affected. The mean score for the total patient group revealed that these patients scored significantly lower on the information processing speed task compared with expected scores obtained from the normal population. The main predictors for poor neuropsychological performance were fatigue, global health, and educational level. Other correlations with moderate to severe cognitive impairment were subjective cognitive complaints, physical functioning, social functioning, overall mood states, and employment status.

CONCLUSIONS

These data indicate that BMT may lead to cognitive complaints and late cognitive deficits in long-term adult survivors. Cognitive functioning should therefore be used as an outcome parameter in BMT studies.