A Systematic Review of Cognitive Function, Anxiety, and Depression in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively analyze the effects of different treatments on cognitive functioning, anxiety, and depression in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in multiple databases including the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Sino Med, Wei Pu, Wan Fang, CNKI, and Google Scholar. The search included studies published through June 20, 2023, focusing on cognitive function, anxiety, and depression in adult patients newly diagnosed with PCNSL. Various measurement tools and scales were used to assess the primary outcomes. Descriptive systematic reviews were conducted to integrate the literature and summarize the effects of different treatment modalities on cognitive functioning, anxiety, and depression in PCNSL patients. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022370250).

RESULTS

A total of 43 studies were included. Induction chemotherapy was associated with improved cognitive function and reduced anxiety and depression in the majority of patients. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) was found to lead to cognitive impairment, particularly in executive, attention, memory, and motor function. Low-dose WBRT, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), and blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) treatments did not result in significant cognitive impairment. Anxiety and depression were observed to decrease over the long term.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the cognitive functioning, anxiety, and depression of patients with PCNSL can be improved with appropriate treatments. However, patients treated with WBRT are at a higher risk of cognitive decline compared to those receiving other treatment modalities. Therefore, special attention should be given to patients undergoing WBRT, and a comprehensive analysis should be conducted to reduce neurotoxicity and address early cognitive problems in these patients.

Preclinical validation of a novel therapeutic strategy for choroid plexus carcinoma

Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) is a rare infantile brain tumor with an aggressive clinical course that often leaves children with debilitating side effects due to aggressive and toxic chemotherapies. Development of novel therapeutical strategies for this disease have been extremely limited owing to the rarity of the disease and the paucity of biologically relevant substrates. We conducted the first high-throughput screen (HTS) on a human patient-derived CPC cell line (Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, CCHE-45) and identified 427 top hits highlighting key molecular targets in CPC. Furthermore, a combination screen with a wide variety of targets revealed multiple synergistic combinations that may pave the way for novel therapeutical strategies against CPC. Based on in vitro efficiency, central nervous system (CNS) penetrance ability and feasible translational potential, two combinations using a DNA alkylating or topoisomerase inhibitors in combination with an ataxia telangiectasia mutated and rad3 (ATR) inhibitor (topotecan/elimusertib and melphalan/elimusertib respectively) were validated in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacokinetic assays established increased brain penetrance with intra-arterial (IA) delivery over intra-venous (IV) delivery and demonstrated a higher CNS penetrance for the combination melphalan/elimusertib. The mechanisms of synergistic activity for melphalan/elimusertib were assessed through transcriptome analyses and showed dysregulation of key oncogenic pathways (e.g. MYC, mammalian target of rapamycin mTOR, p53) and activation of critical biological processes (e.g. DNA repair, apoptosis, hypoxia, interferon gamma). Importantly, IA administration of melphalan combined with elimusertib led to a significant increase in survival in a CPC genetic mouse model. In conclusion, this study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first that identifies multiple promising combinatorial therapeutics for CPC and emphasizes the potential of IA delivery for the treatment of CPC.

Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption (BBBD)-Based Immunochemotherapy for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma (PCNSL), Early Results of a Phase II Study

Primary central nervous system lymphoma is a rare but aggressive brain malignancy. It is associated with poor prognosis even with the current standard of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and tolerability of blood-brain barrier disruption treatment combined with high-dose treatment with autologous stem cell transplantation as consolidation on primary central nervous system lymphoma patients. We performed a prospective phase II study for 25 patients with previously untreated primary central nervous system lymphoma. The blood-brain barrier disruption treatment was initiated 3-4 weeks after the MATRix regimen using the previously optimized therapy protocol. Briefly, each chemotherapy cycle included two subsequent intra-arterial blood-brain barrier disruption treatments on days 1 and 2 via either one of the internal carotid arteries or vertebral arteries. Patients received the therapy in 3-week intervals. The treatment was continued for two more courses after achieving a maximal radiological response to the maximum of six courses. The complete treatment response was observed in 88.0% of the patients. At the median follow-up time of 30 months, median progression-free and overall survivals were not reached. The 2-year overall and progression-free survival rates were 67.1% and 70.3%, respectively. Blood-brain barrier disruption treatment is a promising option for primary central nervous system lymphoma with an acceptable toxicity profile.

European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) guidelines for treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL)

The management of primary central nervous system (PCNSL) is one of the most controversial topics in neuro-oncology because of the complexity of the disease and the limited number of controlled studies available. In 2021, given recent advances and the publication of practice-changing randomized trials, the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) created a multidisciplinary task force to update the previously published evidence-based guidelines for immunocompetent adult patients with PCNSL and added a section on immunosuppressed patients. The guideline provides consensus considerations and recommendations for the treatment of PCNSL, including intraocular manifestations and specific management of the elderly. The main changes from the previous guideline include strengthened evidence for the consolidation with ASCT in first-line treatment, prospectively assessed chemotherapy combinations for both young and elderly patients, clarification of the role of rituximab even though the data remain inconclusive, of the role of new agents, and the incorporation of immunosuppressed patients and primary ocular lymphoma. The guideline should aid the clinicians in everyday practice and decision making and serve as a basis for future research in the field.

A Comprehensive Review of Neuropsychologic Studies Supports the Concept That Adequate Folinic Acid Rescue Prevents Post Methotrexate Neurotoxicity

PURPOSE

To review all studies providing evidence of the correlation between folinic acid (FA) rescue inadequacy and long-term cognitive damage in neuropsychological studies of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia or osteogenic sarcoma treated under protocols using high-dose methotrexate and FA rescue.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed of all databases of the Web of Science Citation Index, during 1990-2020, for the terms: neuropsychological, neurocognitive, and cognitive, together with acute lymphoblastic (and lymphocytic) leukemia and osteogenic sarcoma. English-language peer-reviewed articles on neuropsychological assessments of children who had been treated with high-dose methotrexate without irradiation, and which included details of methotrexate and FA schedules, were selected. In addition, a personal database of over 500 reprints of articles from over 130 journals was reviewed on the subjects of methotrexate and FA and their side effects.

RESULTS

Three groups of studies were found and analyzed, with (1) no evidence of cognitive deterioration, (2) evidence of cognitive deterioration, and (3) more than 1 protocol grouped together, preventing separate analysis of any protocols, Protocols without cognitive deterioration reported adequate FA rescue, and those with cognitive deterioration reported inadequate FA rescue.

CONCLUSION

Neuropsychological evaluation supported inadequate FA being the cause of neurocognitive damage after high-dose methotrexate and that adequate FA rescue prevents this complication.

Cranial Radiation Therapy as Salvage in the Treatment of Relapsed Primary CNS Lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare malignancy. Standard of care is upfront high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) chemotherapy, while cranial radiation is more commonly used in the salvage setting. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of salvage cranial radiation in PCNSL. PCNSL patients who received upfront HD-MTX chemotherapy and salvage cranial radiation after treatment failure between 1995 and 2018 were selected. Radiological response to cranial radiation was assessed as per Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Criteria. Twenty one patients were selected (median age 59.9 years), with median follow-up of 19.9 months. Fourteen patients (66.7%) received a boost to the gross tumour volume (GTV). Four patients (19.0%) sustained grade ≥2 treatment-related neurotoxicity post-completion of cranial radiation. Of the 19 patients who had requisite MRI with gadolinium imaging available for Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria assessment, 47.4% achieved complete response, 47.4% achieved partial response, and 5.3% of patients exhibited stable disease. Higher dose to the whole brain (>30 Gy) was associated with higher rate of complete response (63.6%) than lower dose (≤30 Gy, 37.5%), while boost dose to the gross disease was also associated with higher rate of complete response (61.5%) compared with no boost dose (33.3%). Median overall survival was 20.0 months. PCNSL patients who relapsed following upfront chemotherapy showed a high rate of response to salvage cranial radiation, especially in those receiving greater than 30 Gy to the whole brain and boost to gross disease.

Discovery of a Highly Conserved Peptide in the Iron Transporter Melanotransferrin that Traverses an Intact Blood Brain Barrier and Localizes in Neural Cells

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) hinders the distribution of therapeutics intended for treatment of diseases of the brain. Our previous studies demonstrated that that a soluble form of melanotransferrin (MTf; Uniprot P08582; also known as p97, MFI2, and CD228), a mammalian iron-transport protein, is an effective carrier for delivery of drug conjugates across the BBB into the brain and was the first BBB targeting delivery system to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy within the brain. Here, we performed a screen to identify peptides from MTf capable of traversing the BBB. We identified a highly conserved 12-amino acid peptide, termed MTfp, that retains the ability to cross the intact BBB intact, distributes throughout the parenchyma, and enter endosomes and lysosomes within neurons, astrocytes and microglia in the brain. This peptide may provide a platform for the transport of therapeutics to the CNS, and thereby offers new avenues for potential treatments of neuropathologies that are currently refractory to existing therapies.

Risk Factors and Disease Course for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption-Associated Maculopathy

Importance

Blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) is a systemic therapy for malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors that has been linked to poorly understood pigmentary maculopathy.

Objectives

To examine the rate of and risk factors for the development of BBBD-associated maculopathy and to assess whether there can be visually significant progression after completion of systemic therapy.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this retrospective case series, data from February 1, 2006, through December 31, 2019, were collected from patients treated with osmotic BBBD at a single tertiary referral center who had subsequent ophthalmic evaluation.

Exposures

Treatment with BBBD therapy for any malignant CNS tumor.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Rate and potential risk factors for developing BBBD-associated maculopathy and changes in visual acuity and retinal imaging characteristics after completion of BBBD therapy.

Results

Of 283 patients treated with BBBD and chemotherapy for a CNS malignant neoplasm, 68 (mean [SD] age, 46.0 [17.9] years; 25 [38.5%] female) had an ophthalmic examination after starting systemic therapy. After excluding 3 patients because of bilateral media opacities, pigmentary maculopathy was present in 32 of 65 patients (49.2%) treated with BBBD. The number of BBBD treatment sessions, but not age, CNS malignant cancer type, or systemic chemotherapy agent, was associated with maculopathy development (odds ratio, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.12-1.50; P = .001). After completion of BBBD therapy, progressive enlargement of geographic atrophy occurred in 5 eyes of 3 patients, and choroidal neovascularization developed in 1 eye.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this case series, an association was found between BBBD-related maculopathy and the number of BBBD treatment sessions, suggesting a dose-dependent effect. In some cases, maculopathy progression, including enlargement of geographic atrophy, occurred years after completion of systemic therapy. These findings may have important implications for patient education and ophthalmic monitoring.

Maculopathy Associated With Osmotic Blood- Brain Barrier Disruption and Chemotherapy in Patients With Primary CNS Lymphoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To describe the incidence, characteristics, and risk factors of a pigmentary maculopathy in patients with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma treated with blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD) therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective chart review included patients with biopsy-proven primary CNS lymphoma treated with or without BBBD therapy who underwent an ophthalmic examination after starting systemic treatment. Clinical data and all available retinal imaging were analyzed.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. Twenty-one of 36 patients treated with BBBD therapy had a bilateral pigmentary maculopathy. None of the 22 patients treated with conventional chemotherapy had similar changes. Additional findings in patients treated with BBBD included geographic retinal pigment epithelium atrophy, subretinal fluid, and in one case, choroidal neovascularization. Some cases of maculopathy resulted in reduced visual acuity. The presence of a pigmentary maculopathy was associated with a higher number of BBBD treatment sessions (20.1 vs 13.3, P = .016), but not vitreoretinal lymphoma involvement or intravitreal methotrexate injections.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort, 58.3% of patients with primary CNS lymphoma treated with BBBD and chemotherapy were found to have a bilateral pigmentary maculopathy. This maculopathy can result in reduced visual acuity and is associated with the number of BBBD treatment sessions. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:S5-S12.].

Adult precision medicine: learning from the past to enhance the future

Despite therapeutic advances for other malignancies, gliomas remain challenging solid tumors to treat. Complete surgical resection is nearly impossible due to gliomas’ diffuse infiltrative nature, and treatment is hampered by restricted access to the tumors due to limited transport across the blood–brain barrier. Recent advances in genomic studies and next-generation sequencing techniques have led to a better understanding of gliomas and identification of potential aberrant signaling pathways. Targeting the specific genomic abnormalities via novel molecular therapies has opened a new avenue in the management of gliomas, with encouraging results in preclinical studies and early clinical trials. However, molecular characterization of gliomas revealed significant heterogeneity, which poses a challenge for targeted therapeutic approaches. In this context, leading neuro-oncology researchers and clinicians, industry innovators, and patient advocates convened at the inaugural annual Remission Summit held in Orlando, FL in February 2019 to discuss the latest advances in immunotherapy and precision medicine approaches for the treatment of adult and pediatric brain tumors and outline the unanswered questions, challenges, and opportunities that lay ahead for advancing the duration and quality of life for patients with brain tumors. Here, we provide historical context for precision medicine in other cancers, present emerging approaches for gliomas, discuss their limitations, and outline the steps necessary for future success. We focus on the advances in small molecule targeted therapy, as the use of immunotherapy as an emerging precision medicine modality for glioma treatment has recently been reviewed by our colleagues.

Overcoming the blood-brain barrier in neurodegenerative disorders and brain tumours

Drug delivery is one of the major challenges in the treatment of central nervous system disorders. The brain needs to be protected from harmful agents, which are done by the capillary network, the so-called blood-brain barrier (BBB). This protective guard also prevents the delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain and limits the effectiveness of treatment. For this reason, various strategies have been explored by scientists for overcoming the BBB from disruption of the BBB to targeted delivery of nanoparticles (NPs) and cells and immunotherapy. In this review, different promising brain drug delivery strategies including disruption of tight junctions in the BBB, enhanced transcellular transport by peptide-based delivery, local delivery strategies, NP delivery, and cell-based delivery have been fully discussed.

Performance of diffusion and perfusion MRI in evaluating primary central nervous system lymphomas of different locations

Background

Diffusion and perfusion MRI can invasively define physical properties and angiogenic features of tumors, and guide the individual treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the diffusion and perfusion MRI parameters of primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) are related to the tumor locations.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the diffusion, perfusion, and conventional MRI of 68 patients with PCNSLs at different locations (group 1: cortical gray matter, group 2: white matter, group 3: deep gray matter). Relative maximum cerebral blood volume (rCBV_max) from perfusion MRI, minimum apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC_min) from DWI of each group were calculated and compared by one-way ANOVA test. In addition, we compared the mean apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC_mean) in three different regions of control group.

Results

The rCBV_max of PCNSLs yielded the lowest value in the white matter group, and the highest value in the cortical gray matter group (P < 0.001). However, the ADC_min of each subgroup was not statistically different. The ADC_mean of each subgroup in control group was not statistically different.

Conclusion

Our study confirms that rCBV_max of PCNSLs are related to the tumor location, and provide simple but effective information for guiding the clinical practice of PCNSLs.

Impact of maintenance rituximab on duration of response in primary central nervous system lymphoma

PURPOSE

The role of maintenance immunotherapy with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is unclear. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all immunocompetent adults with newly diagnosed PCNSL treated at our institution between1996 and 2017.

METHODS

We identified 66 patients who attained complete response (CR) after completion of first-line regimen; 20 received maintenance therapy (maintenance therapy group) and 46 were observed with serial MRI scans without maintenance therapy (no-maintenance therapy group).

RESULTS

Compared to the surveillance group, there was a significant increase in duration of survival (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.08-0.98, P = 0.046) in the maintenance therapy group while the reduction in the risk of progression was not significant (HR: 0.61, 95% CI 0.26-1.43, P = 0.259).

CONCLUSION

We are evaluating the effectiveness of maintenance immunotherapy in PCNSL in a prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Drug Delivery Strategies to Overcome the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

The brain capillary endothelium serves both as an exchange site for gases and solutes between blood and brain and as a protective fence against neurotoxic compounds from the blood. While this "blood-brain barrier" (BBB) function protects the fragile environment in the brain, it also poses a tremendous challenge for the delivery of drug compounds to the brain parenchyma. Paracellular brain uptake of drug compounds is limited by the physical tightness of the endothelium, which is tightly sealed with junction complexes. Transcellular uptake of lipophilic drug compounds is limited by the activity of active efflux pumps in the luminal membrane. As a result, the majority of registered CNS drug compounds are small lipophilic compounds which are not efflux transporter substrates. Small molecule CNS drug development therefore focuses on identifying compounds with CNS target affinity and modifies these in order to optimize lipophilicity and decrease efflux pump interactions. Since efflux pump activity is limiting drug uptake, it has been investigated whether coadministration of drug compounds with efflux pump inhibitors could increase drug uptake. While the concept works to some extent, a lot of challenges have been encountered in terms of obtaining efficient inhibition while avoiding adverse effects.Some CNS drug compounds enter the brain via nutrient transport proteins, an example is the levodopa, a prodrug of Dopamine, which crosses the BBB via the large neutral amino acid transporter LAT1. While carrier-mediated transport of drug compounds may seem attractive, the development of drugs targeting transporters is very challenging, since the compounds should have a good fit to the binding site, while still maintaining their CNS target affinity.Receptor-mediated transport of drug compounds, especially biotherapeutics, conjugated to a receptor-binding ligand has shown some promise, although the amounts transported are rather low. This also holds true for drug-conjugation to cell-penetrating peptides. Due to the low uptake of biotherapeutics, barrier-breaching approaches such as mannitol injections and focused ultrasound have been employed with some success to patient groups with no other treatment options.

Cognitive functioning and health-related quality of life in patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma: a systematic review

Incidence of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is increasing, while prognosis is improving as treatments advance. However, declined cognitive functioning remains a major challenge in the treatment of PCNSL. This cognitive decline, in conjunction with other symptoms caused by the disease or its treatment, or both, can compromise health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of this Review was to give a comprehensive overview on cognitive functioning and HRQOL for patients with PCNSL, including an evaluation of patient-related and treatment-related factors that can influence cognitive functioning and HRQOL. We reviewed the literature for studies on cognitive functioning and HRQOL in newly diagnosed adult patients with PCNSL using MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, PsycINFO, CINAHL EBSCO, and Google Scholar, up to Jan 4, 2018. Articles were selected using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria; 42 articles were eligible for inclusion. Findings show that the tumour itself has a great effect on cognitive functioning and HRQOL. Initially, induction chemotherapy results in improvement of cognition and HRQOL in most patients. In the long-term, the addition of whole-brain radiotherapy has a negative effect on cognitive functioning, but the magnitude of this effect is not always clinically relevant. HRQOL scores were worse compared with controls, and worse after combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy when compared with chemotherapy only, particularly in the long term. Therefore, combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy seems to have a negative effect on HRQOL and cognition in patients with PCNSL. Although prolonged progression-free survival is achieved with combined treatment, information on its effect on cognition and HRQOL should be included in clinical decision-making.

Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: Molecular Pathogenesis and Advances in Treatment

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a group of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma that exhibits specific biological characteristics and clinical behavior, with an aggressive disease course and unsatisfactory patient outcomes. It is of great importance to identify aberrant genetic loci and important molecular pathways that might suggest potential targets for new therapeutics and provide prognostic information. In this review, we listed various genetic and epigenetic alterations that are involved in PCNSL pathogenesis. In the aspect of treatment, we summarized the related literatures and evaluated the efficacy of surgery, induction chemotherapy, radiotherapy, intrathecal chemotherapy, and autologous stem cell transplantation in PCNSL. We also proposed the possible new agents for recurrent and relapse PCNSL based on the result of recent clinical researches.

Primary Cerebral Lymphoma: A Retrospective Study in 22 Immunocompetent Patients

Aims and background

Primary CNS lymphomas are uncommon tumors in immunocompetent patients. We describe the radiological features that should orient towards performing a biopsy and analyze the results in our series of patients.

Methods

We reviewed 22 immunocompetent patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma admitted in our Institute between 1977 and 1997. The follow-up period ranged from 2 months (patient deceased) to 69 months. Fourteen patients underwent surgical removal of the tumor and the remainder a biopsy. All patients received radiotherapy and 8 patients radiotherapy plus chemotherapy.

Results

Two of the 14 patients treated by surgical removal of the tumor died. There was no mortality related to biopsy procedures. Patients treated with radiotherapy had 1-year, 2-year and 5-year survival rates of 66%, 41.6% and 16.6%, compared to 87.5%, 62.5% and 50%, respectively, for patients who received radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Conclusions

At present, there is no definite treatment for these highly malignant brain tumors. The most favorable results seem related to biopsy followed by radiotherapy plus chemotherapy versus surgical removal, which is related to a high risk of severe postoperative deficit for both the deep location and infiltrating nature of these lesions.

Neurotoxicity after high-dose methotrexate (MTX) is adequately explained by insufficient folinic acid rescue

PURPOSE

To challenge the view that the dose of folinic acid rescue after high-dose methotrexate (MTX) has no significance in the prevention of neurotoxicity and to present the minority view that neurotoxicity can be prevented by an adequate dose of folinic acid, without compromising treatment results. Several fallacies that led to the misunderstanding of post MTX neurotoxicity are presented.

METHODS

Data mining using search engines was used to find relevant publications, and an e-mail survey of more than 60 authors of articles in this field was performed. All relevant articles identified were read in their entirety.

RESULTS

Examples of clinical studies with neurotoxicity following inadequate rescue are given. Some studies demonstrated no neurotoxicity when adequate doses of folinic acid rescue were started 24-36 h after the start of HDMTX rescue even after mega doses of MTX. Rescue started after 42 h was associated with neurotoxicity except in patients with low serum MTX levels after 24 and 36 h. ALL protocols with neurotoxicity, especially BFM-like protocols, are presented. Protocol is reported in which single protocol changes prevented neurotoxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

From the published data, when folinic acid rescue is given in a sufficiently high enough dose and is started 24-36 h after the beginning of the methotrexate exposure, and virtually all forms of post MTX neurotoxicity can be prevented without compromising therapeutic results.

Factors Affecting the Upper Limit of the Methotrexate (MTX) CSF Levels Achievable in Children With Brain Tumors Treated With High-dose Intravenous MTX

BACKGROUND

Little has been published in the medical literature on serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) methotrexate (MTX) levels in children with brain tumors.

METHODS

Matched 24-hour serum and CSF MTX levels were studied after 113 treatments in 35 brain tumors patients.

RESULTS

A correlation between the 24-hour serum levels of MTX and MTX dosage was observed after 113 treatments in all 35 patients (r=0.39, P<0.001) but no statistical difference was found between CSF MTX levels in the irradiated and nonirradiated groups (P=0.12). Nonirradiated children received a lower dose of MTX (12.3±4.8 cf 14.8±3.7) (P=0.002). The 24-hour MTX CSF levels of these 2 groups were also found to be different (the nonirradiated group 7.6±9.8 cf 12.5±0.15.3). Using the Levene test for variances we found that these variances were not equal and therefore we used the Welch test which resulted in a P-value of 0.04. However, when an analysis of covariance was performed looking at evidence of CSF disease and MTX dose the radiation difference was no longer significant (P=0.15). The 24-hour CSF MTX levels in children without evidence of active CSF disease were consistently lower than those with active disease using a mixed-model analysis (P=0.002). Although a 24-hour CSF MTX level of at least 1 μM was observed after infusions of >5 g/m MTX in previously irradiated children and after infusion of ≥10 g/m in nonirradiated children this difference did not reach statistical significance. CSF MTX levels plateau at doses of MTX 15 g/m putting in doubt the value of administering even higher doses of MTX.

CONCLUSIONS

The 24-hour MTX CSF levels are higher in patients with active CSF disease. Doses of <10 gm/m in children with brain tumors may not achieve a guaranteed 24-hour MTX CSF level of 1 μM. There may be little value in a given dose of >15 g/m MTX as CSF levels plateau at this dose.

Treatment of newly diagnosed B-cell origin primary CNS lymphoma with systemic R-IDARAM chemotherapy and intrathecal immunochemotherapy

Background

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The aim was to evaluate response rate, progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity in PCNSL after systemic R-IDARAM and intrathecal immunochemotherapy with deferred radiotherapy.

Results

The response rate was 94% with 17 (89%) complete responses and 1 (5%) partial responses. Follow-up time is from 5 to 63 months (median, 39 months). Median survival has not been reached. 3-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 84.2% (CI 72.6% to 99.8%) and 63.2% (CI 41.4% to 73.8%). Systemic toxicity was mainly hematologic. Neurocognitive and neuromotor deterioration as a result of treatment occurred in only one patient (5%).

Patients and Methods

From September 2010 to June 2015, 19 consecutive patients with PCNSL (median age, 54 years) were enrolled into a pilot phase II study evaluating immunochemotherapy without radiotherapy. The patients were accrued to a chemotherapy regimen that incorporated rituximab, idarubicin, dexamethasone, cytarabine (Ara-c) and methotrexate (MTX) combined with intrathecal rituximab, MTX, dexamethasone and Ara-c.

Conclusions

The results indicate that R-IDARAM regimen with intrathecal immunochemotherapy is generally well tolerated and produces a high complete response rate and survival rate.

Tumor Vascular Permeability Pattern Is Associated With Complete Response in Immunocompetent Patients With Newly Diagnosed Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: Retrospective Cohort Study

A dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) could provide the information about tumor drug delivery efficacy. We investigated the potential utility of the permeability pattern of DCE-MRI for predicting tumor response to high dose-methotrexate treatment and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). Clinical and conventional imaging parameters were assessed as potential predictors of tumor response in 48 immunocompetent PCNSL patients in a preliminary study. Fifty additional immunocompetent patients (27 men and 23 women; mean age, 60.6 years) with PCNSL underwent DCE-MRI before starting first-line treatment with high dose-methotrexate. The DCE-MRI pattern was categorized as diffuse or nondiffuse. After 4 courses of high dose methotrexate, patients underwent follow-up brain MR imaging to identify their complete response (CR). Predictors of CR and PFS were analyzed using clinical parameters, conventional MRI, and DCE-MRI. CR was noted in 20 (74.1%) of 27 patients with diffuse DCE-MRI pattern and in 4 (17.4%) of 23 patients with nondiffuse DCE-MRI pattern. The diffuse DCE-MRI pattern showed a significantly higher association with CR than the nondiffuse pattern (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the DCE-MRI pattern (hazard ratio = 0.70; P = 0.045), age (hazard ratio = 1.47; P = 0.041), and adjuvant autologous stem-cell transplantation (hazard ratio = 6.97; P = 0.003) tended to be associated with a PFS. The pretreatment diffuse DCE-MRI pattern can be used as a potential imaging biomarker for predicting CR and a longer PFS in patients with newly diagnosed PCNSLs.

Expression of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in irritable bowel syndrome and its clinical significance

OBJECTIVES

Estrogen is suggested to participate in pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but expression of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the colon of IBS patients has never been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of GPER and classical estrogen receptors in the colon of IBS patients and healthy controls.

METHODS

Colonic biopsies were obtained by endoscopy from patients with IBS (n=46) and healthy subjects (n=13). Expression of GPER, estrogen receptor α (ERα) and estrogen receptor β (ERβ) in mast cells were measured by double-labelling immunofluorescence. Quantification of mRNA expression was performed for GPER, ERα and ERβ by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Differential distribution of GPER, ERα and ERβ were detected in human colonic mucosa. The expression of GPER in the cytoplasm of mast cells and GPER-positive cells was significantly higher in diarrhea-predominant IBS (D-IBS) patients than that in constipation-predominant IBS (C-IBS, P<0.001) patients and healthy subjects (P=0.005). ERα and ERβ were not detected in majority of mast cells in colonic mucosa and no difference of immunostaining results for ERα and ERβ was found among these three groups. A positive correlation (r=0.451, P=0.011) between GPER-positive cell counts and abdominal pain severity was observed in D-IBS group. Relative mRNA expression of GPER in D-IBS was also higher than that in C-IBS (P=0.018) and healthy subjects (P=0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study, for the first time, demonstrated the expression of GPER in human colonic mucosa and its correlation with abdominal pain severity.

The correlation between dose of folinic acid and neurotoxicity in children and adolescents treated for osteosarcoma with high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX): a neuropsychological and psychosocial study

BACKGROUND

This study has been performed to examine the currently used doses of folinic acid (FA) and to determine the importance of the dose of FA in preventing subtle neurotoxicity. Thirty osteosarcoma patients were an appropriate population studied as they have no intrinsic neurological involvement. The neuropsychological and psychosocial status was tested in 2 groups of patients treated with similar protocols containing repeated doses of high-dose methotrexate, but different doses of FA. The patients received 300 to 600 mg/m or 120 to 250 mg/m FA in their protocols.

METHODS

Eighteen tests or subtests of neuropsychological assessment were tested.

RESULTS

Eleven of 18 tests were significant at the P=0.025 level favoring the group treated with high dose of FA. There were no clear results in the psychosocial measures with only a single measure of self-esteem (understanding) being significantly higher (P=0.024) in the group treated with high dose of FA, other measures had no statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

A correlation between a higher dose of FA after high-dose methotrexate and a better neuropsychological status was clearly shown. The doses of FA used in the low FA group, 120 to 250 mg/m, were similar to those used by several groups treating children with leukemia; some have used even lower doses and report gross neurotoxicity.

Successful treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma without irradiation in children: single center experience

Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is a very uncommon disease in children, and usually treated by chemotherapy, combined with focal or craniospinal radiotherapy (RT). However, adverse effects of RT are a concern. We evaluated the outcomes of childhood PCNSL, treated with systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy, but without RT. For fifteen years, six patients among 175 of non-Hodgkin lymphoma were diagnosed as PCNSL in Seoul National University Children's Hospital and we analyzed their medical records retrospectively. Their male:female ratio was 5:1, and median age was 10.1 yr. The primary sites were the sellar area in three patients, parietal area in one, cerebellum in one, and multiple areas in one. Their pathologic diagnoses were diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in three patients, Burkitt lymphoma in two, and undifferentiated B-cell lymphoma in one. Five were treated with the LMB96 treatment protocol, and one was treated with the CCG-106B protocol. None had RT as a first-line treatment. One patient had a local relapse and received RT and salvage chemotherapy, without success. No patient had treatment-related mortality. Their estimated 5-yr event-free and overall survival rates were both 83.3%. In conclusion, PCNSL is a rare disease in childhood, but successfully treated by chemotherapy without RT.

Imaging and therapy with rituximab anti-CD20 immunotherapy in an animal model of central nervous system lymphoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of rituximab monoclonal antibody (mAb) on MRI tumor volumetrics and efficacy in a rat model of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma when delivery to the brain was optimized with osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Female nude rats with intracerebral MC116 human B-cell lymphoma xenografts underwent baseline MRI and were randomized into 5 groups (n = 6 per group): (i) BBBD saline control; (ii) methotrexate with BBBD; (iii) rituximab with BBBD; (iv) rituximab and methotrexate with BBBD; and (v) intravenous rituximab. Tumor volumes were assessed by MRI at 1 week, and rats were followed for survival.

RESULTS

BBBD increased delivery of yttrium-90-radiolabeled mAb in the model of CNS lymphoma. Control rats showed 201 ± 102% increase in tumor volume on MRI 1 week after entering the study and median 14-day survival (range: 6-33). Tumor growth on MRI was slowed in the methotrexate treatment group, but survival time (median: 7 days; range: 5-12) was not different from controls. Among 17 evaluable rats treated with rituximab, 10 showed decreased tumor volume on MRI. All rituximab groups had increased survival compared with control, with a combined median of 43 days (range: 20-60, P < 0.001). There were no differences by route of delivery or combination with methotrexate.

CONCLUSIONS

Rituximab was effective at decreasing tumor volume and improving survival in a model of CNS lymphoma and was not affected by combination with methotrexate or by BBBD. We suggest that rituximab warrants further study in human primary CNS lymphoma.

Primary CNS lymphoma in children and adolescents: a descriptive analysis from the International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group (IPCG)

PURPOSE

To describe the demographic and clinical features and outcomes for children and adolescents with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

A retrospective series of children and adolescents with PCNSL was assembled from 10 cancer centers in 3 countries.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients with a median age of 14 years were identified. Sixteen (55%) had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) of 1 or greater. Frontline therapy consisted of chemotherapy only in 20 patients (69%), while 9 (31%) had chemotherapy plus cranial radiotherapy. Most patients received methotrexate (MTX)-based regimens. Overall response rate was 86% (complete remission 69%, partial remission 17%). The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 61% and 86%, respectively; the 3-year OS was 82%. Univariate analyses were conducted for age (≤ 14 vs. >14 years), PS (0 or 1 vs. >1), deep brain lesions, MTX dose, primary treatment with chemotherapy alone, intrathecal chemotherapy, and high-dose therapy. Primary treatment with chemotherapy alone was associated with better overall response rates with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.125 (P = 0.02). There was a marginally significant relationship between higher doses of MTX and response (OR = 1.5, P = 0.06). ECOG-PS of 0 to 1 was the only factor associated with better outcome with hazard ratios of 0.136 (P = 0.017) and 0.073 (P = 0.033) for PFS and OS, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This is the largest series collected of pediatric PCNSL. The outcome of children and adolescents seems to be better than in adults. PS of 0 to 1 is associated with better survival.

Chemotherapy in newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) accounts for only 3% of brain tumors. It can involve the brain parenchyma, leptomeninges, eyes and the spinal cord. Unlike systemic lymphoma, durable remissions remain uncommon. Although phase III trials in this rare disease are difficult to perform, many phase II trials have attempted to define standards of care. Treatment modalities for patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL include radiation and/or chemotherapy. While the role of radiation therapy for initial management of PCNSL is controversial, clinical trials will attempt to improve the therapeutic index of this modality. Routes of chemotherapy administration include intravenous, intraocular, intraventricular or intra-arterial. Multiple trials have outlined different methotrexate-based chemotherapy regimens and have used local techniques to improve drug delivery. A major challenge in the management of patients with PCNSL remains the delivery of aggressive treatment with preservation of neurocognitive function. Because PCNSL is rare, it is important to perform multicenter clinical trials and to incorporate detailed measurements of long-term toxicities. In this review we focus on different chemotherapeutic approaches for immunocompetent patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL and discuss the role of local drug delivery in addition to systemic therapy. We also address the neurocognitive toxicity of treatment.

Immunohistological profiling by B-cell differentiation status of primary central nervous system lymphoma treated by high-dose methotrexate chemotherapy

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) remains a devastating disease with poor prognosis, despite the improvement offered by methotrexate (MTX)-based chemotherapy. Several studies have attempted to identify biomarkers predictive of prognosis, which are expected to be both clinically useful and biologically important for understanding PCNSL. The present study attempts to classify human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-unrelated PCNSL patients treated with radiation combined with rapid high-dose MTX chemotherapy according to B-cell differentiation status, and retrospectively examines the prognostic impact. Initial response to MTX was a strong predictor of favorable prognosis in terms of both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Thirteen out of 29 cases were CD10(-)/BCL-6(+)/MUM-1(+), being more frequent compared with systemic peripheral nodal lymphoma. Although post-germinal-center B-cell-originating PCNSLs (CD10(-)/BCL-6(-)/MUM-1(+)) showed a trend towards better response to MTX and progression-free survival than did germinal-center-related B-cell-originating PCNSLs (CD10(+) OR CD10(-)/BCL-6(+)/MUM-1(+)), the difference was only marginal (P = 0.04 Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon, P = 0.17 log-rank). Our results imply that different B-cell stages in PCNSL have significant relevance in terms of biological behavior. However, clinical use as a prognostic marker requires further investigation.

Monotherapy with methotrexate for primary central nervous lymphoma has single agent activity in the absence of radiotherapy: a single institution cohort

We have retrospectively reviewed toxicities and response of a cohort of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) patients treated with high dose parenteral methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy without whole brain radiation. From The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Registry, active since 1946, we selected all immunocompetent patients with histologic and/or radiographic PCNSL diagnosed between 1980 and 2007. We identified the recipients of MTX with leucovorin rescue as sole therapy. No patient received radiation therapy (XRT). We analyzed this cohort for toxicity, response and patterns of recurrence. The cohort of 121 patients received on average 11 cycles of intravenous MTX at a median dose of 8 g/m². Median interval between cycles was 10 days. After 3 months of therapy, the overall response rate was 85% (58% CR, 27% PR). The overall survival (OS) for the cohort was 7 years and progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.14 years. A trend toward a higher PFS was seen in patients who continued to receive MTX (3.48 years) every three months as compared to patients who ceased MTX after one year (2.86 years). Of 68 patients who achieved initial CR, there were 40 recurrences. Twenty-six of the 40 were re-induced with MTX as above; Sixty-nine percent again achieved CR. Eighty-one treatment-related toxicities occurred in 1316 MTX cycles. These toxicities included MRI white matter changes (N = 8) and lead to MTX cessation in 16 patients. High-dose MTX monotherapy of PCNSL is well-tolerated and provides PFS of >3 years and OS >7 years.

Prognostic value of immunohistochemical profile and response to high-dose methotrexate therapy in primary CNS lymphoma

Several biomarkers have been identified as prognostic factors in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). However, the correlation between the histogenetic origin of PCNSL and the response to therapy is still unclear. To elucidate the utility of immunophenotypic markers in predicting clinical outcomes, we investigated 27 immunocompetent patients with PCNSL treated with high-dose methotrexate therapy. Of the 27 patients, 25 received whole-brain radiotherapy after high-dose methotrexate. Immunostaining for CD5, CD10, BCL-6, and MUM-1 was used to determine the immunophenotypic profile of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of PCNSL. We then evaluated whether immunophenotypic markers were associated with the response to therapy or patients' survival. The response to induction high-dose methotrexate therapy was determined by magnetic resonance imaging after three courses of i.v. high-dose methotrexate. We categorized B-cell lymphomas into three known subtypes: germinal center B-cell (GCB), activated-GCB, and post-GCB subtypes according to immunohistochemical profile. All the BCL-6-positive samples were co-positive for MUM-1 and therefore classified into activated-GCB subtype. BCL-6 expression in this study was associated with poor progression-free survival (P = 0.038). No immunophenotypic markers or subtypes had a significant effect on the response to high-dose methotrexate therapy. However, the response itself was a significant predictor for both progression-free survival (P < 0.001) and overall survival (P = 0.003). Further investigation is needed to assess BCL-6 as a potential prognostic factor in PCNSL.

Blood-brain barrier disruption and intra-arterial methotrexate-based therapy for newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma: a multi-institutional experience

PURPOSE Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is confined to the CNS and/or the eyes at presentation and is usually initially treated with intravenous methotrexate-based chemotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). However, the intact blood-brain barrier (BBB) can limit diffusion of methotrexate into brain and tumor. With BBB disruption (BBBD), enhanced drug delivery to the tumor can be achieved. PATIENTS AND METHODS This report summarizes the multi-institutional experience of 149 newly diagnosed (with no prior WBRT) patients with PCNSL treated with osmotic BBBD and intra-arterial (IA) methotrexate at four institutions from 1982 to 2005. In this series, 47.6% of patients were age > or = 60 years, and 42.3% had Karnofsky performance score (KPS) less than 70 at diagnosis. Results The overall response rate was 81.9% (57.8% complete; 24.2% partial). Median overall survival (OS) was 3.1 years (25% estimated survival at 8.5 years). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 1.8 years, with 5-year PFS of 31% and 7-year PFS of 25%. In low-risk patients (age < 60 years and KPS > or = 70), median OS was approximately 14 years, with a plateau after approximately 8 years. Procedures were generally well tolerated; focal seizures (9.2%) were the most frequent side effect and lacked long-term sequelae. CONCLUSION This large series of patients treated over a 23-year period demonstrates that BBBD/IA methotrexate-based chemotherapy results in successful and durable tumor control and outcomes that are comparable or superior to other PCNSL treatment regimens.

Prospective cognitive follow-up in primary CNS lymphoma patients treated with chemotherapy and reduced-dose radiotherapy

High-dose chemotherapy and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) can prolong survival in primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) patients, but is often associated with clinically significant cognitive decline. In this study we assessed neuropsychological functioning prospectively in newly diagnosed PCNSL patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by reduced-dose WBRT. Twelve patients underwent neuropsychological evaluations at diagnosis, after induction chemotherapy, and 6 and 12 months after WBRT. Nine patients completed additional cognitive evaluations 18 and 24 months post-treatment. At diagnosis, patients had impairments in Executive Functions, Verbal Memory, and Motor Speed. There was a significant improvement in Executive Functions (P < 0.01) and Verbal Memory (P < 0.05) following induction chemotherapy, and scores remained relatively stable up to 12 months post-treatment. Among the nine patients who completed a 2-year follow-up, there was a significant improvement in the Executive domain (P < 0.05) and a trend toward a decline in the Verbal Memory domain. Executive and Verbal Memory functions improved following induction chemotherapy, likely due to decreased tumor burden and discontinuation of corticosteroid and anticonvulsant medications. There was no significant cognitive decline up to 24 months post-chemotherapy and reduced-dose WBRT in this group of PCNSL patients, however, difficulties in Verbal Memory and Motor speed persisted over the follow-up period.

High-dose methotrexate combined with procarbazine and CCNU for primary CNS lymphoma in the elderly: results of a prospective pilot and phase II study

BACKGROUND

To improve survival of elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), we conducted a phase II study with high-dose methotrexate (MTX) combined with procarbazine and CCNU. To reduce neurotoxicity, whole-brain irradiation was reserved for patients not responding to chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

High-dose MTX was applied on days 1, 15, and 30, procarbazine on days 1-10, and CCNU on day 1. Study treatment comprised up to three 45-day cycles. There was no lower limit of Karnofsky performance status (KPS).

RESULTS

Thirty patients with PCNSL (n = 29) or primary ocular lymphoma (n = 1) were included (median age 70 years, range 57-79 years). The median initial KPS was 60% (range 30%-90%). Best documented response in 27 assessable patients were 12 of 27 (44.4%) complete remissions, 7 of 27 (25.9%) partial remissions, and 8 of 27 (29.6%) disease progressions. Two patients died of probable treatment-related causes. With a median follow-up of 78 months (range 34-105), the 5-year overall survival is 33%. Eight of 30 patients (26.7%) are currently alive and well, six without signs of leukoencephalopathy.

CONCLUSION

The combination of high-dose MTX with procarbazine and CCNU is feasible and effective and results in a low rate of leukoencephalopathy. Comorbidity and toxicity remain of concern when treating PCNSL in elderly patients.

Complete response to temozolomide treatment in an elderly patient with recurrent primary central nervous system lymphoma--case report

An 80-year-old woman presented with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma manifesting as progressive disorientation and loss of activity. She received three cycles of high-dose methotrexate. The tumor shrank after two cycles and her mental status improved, but she suffered tumor recurrence. The second-line treatment consisted of four cycles of rituximab but the tumor enlarged. She was then treated with three cycles of temozolomide. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed no evidence of disease. Her mental status and performance status improved, and she suffered no toxicity. She is able to pursue her daily life without recurrence after 16 cycles of temozolomide. Temozolomide may be effective against relapsed primary CNS lymphoma without causing neurotoxicity in the elderly.

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.

Chemotherapy delivery issues in central nervous system malignancy: a reality check

PURPOSE

This review assesses the current state of knowledge regarding preclinical and clinical pharmacology for brain tumor chemotherapy and evaluates relevant brain tumor pharmacology studies before October 2006.

RESULTS

Chemotherapeutic regimens in brain tumor therapy have often emerged from empirical clinical studies with retrospective pharmacologic explanations, rather than prospective trials of rational chemotherapeutic approaches. Brain tumors are largely composed of CNS metastases of systemic cancers. Primary brain tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme or primary CNS lymphomas, are less common. Few of these tumors have well-defined optimal treatment. Brain tumors are protected from systemic chemotherapy by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and by intrinsic properties of the tumors. Pharmacologic studies of delivery of conventional chemotherapeutics and novel therapeutics showing actual tumor concentrations and biologic effect are lacking.

CONCLUSION

In this article, we review drug delivery across the BBB, as well as blood-tumor and -cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barriers, and mechanisms to increase drug delivery to CNS and CSF tumors. Because of the difficulty in treating CNS tumors, innovative treatments and alternative delivery techniques involving brain/cord capillaries, choroid plexus, and CSF are needed.

Primary CNS lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma invades the brain, the vitreous body and nerves of the eye, the meninges, and the nerve roots of brain and spine, leading to the development of a primary CNS lymphoma. The mechanism of involvement of these locations by malignant B lymphocytes is unknown, but it might involve molecular targeting of lymphoma cells generated at cryptic systemic sites. The diagnosis of primary CNS lymphoma has been facilitated by advances in imaging techniques and the discovery of molecular markers. Methotrexate-based regimens, even when radiation is deferred, prolong overall survival to over 5 years, but relapses eventually occur in most cases. Better tools for earlier diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response will emerge from molecular studies of therapeutic targets.

Neurologic toxicities of cancer therapies

Neurologic dysfunction is a well-recognized adverse effect of cancer therapeutics. The most common manifestations include peripheral neuropathy and encephalopathy. Often, symptoms resolve or improve upon removal of the offending agent; therefore, it is essential that clinicians recognize the symptoms and signs of injury. Occasionally, symptoms persist or develop after discontinuation of medication and may culminate in disability and diminished quality of life. As our understanding of neurotoxicity improves, medications with less potential for injury may be developed. In addition, potential antidotes to prevent or reverse injury may emerge. This review focuses on the clinical features, mechanisms, and possible therapeutics of the neurotoxicity of chemotherapy. In particular, oxaliplatin, thalidomide, methotrexate, ifosfamide, cytarabine, amifostine, acetyl-L-carnitine, methylene blue, cytokines, and neurotrophins are discussed.

A case series of pediatric primary central nervous system lymphoma: favorable outcome without cranial irradiation

PURPOSE

To describe the outcome of childhood primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) treated with chemotherapy alone or with chemotherapy plus cranial radiotherapy (CRT).

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of children with PCNSL at six tertiary care pediatric centers.

RESULTS

Eight immunocompetent and four immunocompromised children were included. Ten children received chemotherapy alone without CRT, with most receiving high-dose methotrexate and high-dose cytarabine. Five year event-free survival (EFS) in this group was 70.0 +/- 14.5%. Two children received chemotherapy plus CRT; one relapsed and died while the other is alive in remission. Three children died, including two from relapsed disease. The other child with human immunodeficiency virus infection died of an opportunistic infection while in remission following chemotherapy alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Most children with PCNSL can achieve long-term remissions with chemotherapy alone without CRT. Multi-center prospective studies are needed to confirm or refute these results in a larger number of patients.