Epidemiologic Characteristics, Prognostic Factors, and Treatment Outcomes in Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A SEER-Based Study

Clinical outcomes of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in 38 patients with refractory/relapsed primary or secondary central nervous system lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Several reports have indicated that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a promising strategy for refractory/relapsed (r/r) central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL), but the number of reported cases is limited.

METHODS

The cohort in this retrospective study consisted of 38 patients with r/r CNSL who received CAR T-cell therapy following ASCT at our center between January 2019 and April 2024. Group comparisons of continuous variables were tested using the unpaired Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test, while categorical variables were analyzed using Fisher's exact test. The Kaplan-Meier method was employed to estimate survival curves, and group comparisons were performed using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 38 patients with r/r CNSL, all of whom had active CNS involvement. After therapy, the best overall response rate (ORR) of all patients was 78.9%. Subgroup analysis found that a lower ORR was observed in patients with lactate dehydrogenase levels above the upper limit of normal (60.0% vs. 91.3%, P = 0.039). With a median follow-up of 37.5 months, the estimated 1-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 72.8% and 57.4%, respectively. The risk factors associated with PFS was no response to current therapy (adjusted hazard ratio: 22.87, P < 0.001). The incidence rates of severe cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome were both 13.2%. Among the 25 patients with secondary CNSL (SCNSL), the best ORRs were 91.7% for those with CNS lesions only and 61.5% for those with CNS and systemic lesions (P = 0.160), while the estimated 1-year PFS rates were 83.3% and 38.5%, respectively (P = 0.030).

CONCLUSIONS

CAR T-cell therapy following ASCT shows promising efficacy for r/r CNSL patients. Besides, SCNSL patients with CNS and systemic lesions have inferior treatment efficacy compared to those with CNS lesions only.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma: a multicentre retrospective analysis

Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) exhibit superior efficacy in relapsed/refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), but few studies have evaluated patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL, and even fewer studies have evaluated differences in efficacy between treatment with BTKi and traditional chemotherapy. This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics of 86 patients with PCNSL and identified predictors of poor prognosis for overall survival (OS). After excluding patients who only received palliative care, 82 patients were evaluated for efficacy and survival. According to the induction regimen, patients were divided into the traditional chemotherapy, BTKi combination therapy, and radiotherapy groups; the objective response rates (ORR) of the three groups were 71.4%, 96.2%, and 71.4% (P = 0.037), respectively. Both median progression-free survival and median duration of remission showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.019 and P = 0.030, respectively). The median OS of the BTKi-containing therapy group was also longer than that of the traditional chemotherapy group (not reached versus 47.8 (32.5-63.1) months, P = 0.038).Seventy-one patients who achieved an ORR were further analyzed, and achieved an ORR after four cycles of treatment and maintenance therapy had prolonged OS (P = 0.003 and P = 0.043, respectively). In conclusion, survival, and prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL are influenced by the treatment regimen, with the BTKi-containing regimen showing great potential.

Impact of Postoperative Chemotherapy on Survival in Patients with Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Study Based on the SEER Database

Aims/Background We aimed to investigate the impact of postoperative chemotherapy (POCT) on survival in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Methods This study included 786 PCNSL patients, of which 605 received chemotherapy after surgery, and 181 did not. Data from the SEER registry database (2007-2020) were used to analyze PCNSL. Baseline information, including age, sex, race, marital status, primary tumour site, histological type, summary stage, surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, was analyzed. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) (1:1) was employed to balance the effects of confounding variables between the two groups. Subsequently, Cox regression and bidirectional stepwise regression were used to identify independent prognostic factors. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves were constructed to assess the impact of POCT on patient prognosis. Additionally, two cases of PCNSL with typical magnetic resonance imaging appearances were presented. Results Multivariate Cox regression results revealed that age older than 60 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.786; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.272-2.509; p = 0.001) and absence of POCT (HR = 2.841; 95% CI: 2.159-3.738; p < 0.001) were independent prognostic risk factors, while primary tumour locations in the meninges (HR = 0.136; 95% CI: 0.032-0.569; p = 0.006) and other nervous system regions (HR = 0.552; 95% CI: 0.326-0.936; p = 0.027), as well as histological morphologies such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (HR = 0.233; 95% CI: 0.128-0.425; p < 0.001) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HR = 0.559; 95% CI: 0.356-0.876; p = 0.011), were associated with favourable patient outcomes. K-M curves demonstrated that the group undergoing POCT had a significantly more favourable prognosis compared to the non-POCT group, before (HR = 0.454; 95% CI: 0.343-0.600; p < 0.0001) or after PSM (HR = 0.580; 95% CI: 0.431-0.780; p < 0.0001). For patients with PCNSL, those with tumours located in the infratentorial region (HR = 0.231; 95% CI: 0.078-0.682; p = 0.046), supratentorial region (HR = 0.250; 95% CI: 0.163-0.383; p < 0.0001), overlapping brain regions (HR = 0.201; 95% CI: 0.056-0.727; p = 0.0058), and those who underwent biopsy (HR = 0.740; 95% CI: 0.463-1.182; p = 0.003), subtotal resection (STR) (HR = 0.490; 95% CI: 0.265-0.906; p = 0.0064), or gross total resection (GTR) (HR = 0.613; 95% CI: 0.292-1.287; p = 0.0003) had better prognoses in the postoperative chemotherapy group compared to the non-chemotherapy group. Conclusion POCT significantly improves the prognosis of PCNSL patients and identifies the characteristics of the benefiting population. This information aids clinical practitioners in designing personalized treatment plans for individuals and advancing precise treatment.

Disease characteristics and clinical specific survival prediction of spinal ependymoma: a genetic and population-based study

Background

Spinal Ependymoma (SP-EP) is the most commonly occurring tumor affecting the spinal cord. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can significantly enhance prognostic outcomes for patients. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of RNA sequencing data, along with associated clinical information, from patients diagnosed with SP-EP. The aim was to identify key genes that are characteristic of the disease and develop a survival-related nomogram.

Methods

We first accessed the Gene Expression Integrated Database (GEO) to acquire the microarray dataset pertaining to SP-EP. This dataset was then processed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SP-EP samples and normal controls. Furthermore, machine learning techniques and the CIBERSORT algorithm were employed to extract immune characteristic genes specific to SP-EP patients, thereby enhancing the characterization of target genes. Next, we retrieved comprehensive information on patients diagnosed with SP-EP between 2000 and 2020 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database (SEER). Using this data, we screened for predictive factors that have a significant impact on patient outcomes. A nomogram was constructed to visualize the predicted overall survival (OS) rates of these patients at 3, 5, and 8 years post-diagnosis. Finally, to assess the reliability and clinical utility of our predictive model, we evaluated it using various metrics including the consistency index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the curve (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

A total of 5,151 DEGs were identified between the SP-EP sample and the normal sample. Analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways revealed that these DEGs were primarily involved in cellular processes, including cell cycle regulation and cell sensitivity mechanisms. Furthermore, immune infiltration analysis was utilized to identify the core gene CELF4. Regarding the survival rates of patients with SP-EP, the 3-year, 5-year, and 8-year survival rates were 72.5, 57.0, and 40.8%, respectively. Diagnostic age (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and surgical approach (p < 0.005) were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS. Additionally, a nomogram model was constructed based on these prognostic factors, demonstrating good consistency between predicted and actual results in the study's validation process. Notably, the study also demonstrated that more extensive surgical resection could extend patients' OS.

Conclusion

Through bioinformatics analysis of microarray datasets, we identified CELF4 as a central gene associated with immune infiltration among DEGs. Previous studies have demonstrated that CELF4 may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of SP-EP. Furthermore, this study developed and validated a prognostic prediction model in the form of a nomogram utilizing the SEER database, enabling clinicians to accurately assess treatment risks and benefits, thereby enhancing personalized therapeutic strategies and prognosis predictions.

Survival outcomes and treatment experience of 124 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma

PURPOSE

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare malignancy of the central nervous system with high invasiveness. There is little consensus on the treatment of PCNSL. This study retrospectively studied data from PCNSL patients in a single center to summarize treatment experience and explore prognostic factors.

METHODS

Survival curves were drawn using the Kaplan-Meier method and prognostic factors were analyzed using Cox's hazards model.

RESULTS

In multivariate analysis, cerebrospinal fluid lactic acid dehydrogenase (CSF LDH; p = 0.005 and p = 0.002), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR; p = 0.014 and p = 0.038), and completion of four cycles of induction therapy (p < 0.001and p < 0.001) were significant and independent predictors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), respectively.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of this study, we propose that PCNSL patients should receive early induction therapy with sufficient cycles. Subsequent consolidation therapy can prevent relapses and improve survival. In patients with PCNSL, the independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS were CSF LDH level, NLR, and full cycles of induction therapy.

Updates of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Lymphoma occurring in the central nervous system is considered primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), usually without systematic lesions. Over the last few decades, a deep understanding of PCNSL has been lacking due to the low incidence rate, and the overall survival and progression-free survival of patients with PCNSL are lower than those with other types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Recently, there have been several advancements in research on PCNSL. Advances in diagnosis of the disease are primarily reflected in the promising diagnostic efficiency of novel biomarkers. Pathogenesis mainly involves abnormal activation of nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathways, copy number variations, and DNA methylation. Novel therapies such as Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors are being evaluated as possible treatment options for PCNSL, especially for relapsed/refractory (R/R) cases. Several clinical trials also indicated the promising feasibility and efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for selected R/R PCNSL patients. This review focuses on discussing recent updates, including the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and novel therapy of PCNSL.

A retrospective study of 222 patients with newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma-Outcomes indicative for improved survival overtime

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare disease with an incidence of 0.4/per 100,000 person-years. As there is a limited number of prospective randomized trials in PCNSL, large retrospective studies on this rare disease may yield information that might prove useful for the future design of randomized clinical trials. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 222 newly diagnosed PCNSL patients treated in five referral centers in Israel between 2001 and 2020. During this period, combination therapy became the treatment of choice, rituximab has been added to the induction therapy, and consolidation with irradiation was largely laid off and was mostly replaced by high-dose chemotherapy with or without autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC-ASCT). Patients older than 60 comprised 67.5% of the study population. First-line treatment included high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) in 94% of patients with a median MTX dose of 3.5 g/m2 (range 1.14-6 g/m2 ) and a median cycle number of 5 (range 1-16). Rituximab was given to 136 patients (61%) and consolidation treatment to 124 patients (58%). Patients treated after 2012 received significantly more treatment with HD-MTX and rituximab, more consolidation treatments, and autologous stem cell transplantation. The overall response rate was 85% and the complete response (CR)/unconfirmed CR rate was 62.1%. After a median follow-up of 24 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21.9 and 43.5 months respectively with a significant improvement since 2012 (PFS: 12.5 vs. 34.2 p = 0.006 and OS: 19.9 vs. 77.3 p = 0.0003). A multivariate analysis found that the most important factors related to OS were obtaining a CR followed by rituximab treatment and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. The observed improvement in outcomes may be due to multiple components such as an intention to treat all patients regardless of age with HD-MTX-based combination chemotherapy, treatment in dedicated centers, and more aggressive consolidation with the introduction of HDC-ASCT.

Conditional survival of elderly primary central nervous system lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have reported that overall survival of elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), who have the highest incidence of this disease, had failed to benefit from the advancements in treatment strategies over the past decades. This highlights the necessity for intensified research to guide treatment decisions for this specific patient population.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) was used to extract data of elderly PCNSL patients (age ≥ 60) who were divided into training and validation groups at the ratio of 7:3, for our analysis. Conditional survival [CS(y|x)] was defined as the probability at survival additional y years given that the patient had not died of PCNSL at a specified period of time (x years) after initial diagnosis. The CS pattern of elderly PCNSL patients was analyzed. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis were applied to develop a novel CS-based nomogram.

RESULTS

A total of 3315 elderly patients diagnosed with CNS lymphoma between 2000 and 2019 were extracted from the SEER database, of whom 2320 patients were divided into the training group and 995 into the internal validation group. CS analysis revealed a noteworthy escalation in the 5-year survival rate among elderly PCNSL patients for every additional year of survival. The rates progressed from an initial 21-49%, 63%, and 75%, culminating in an impressive 88% and the survival improvement over time was nonlinear. The LASSO regression identified nine predictors and multivariate Cox regression was used to successfully construct the CS-based nomogram model with favorable prediction performance.

CONCLUSION

CS of elderly PCNSL patients was dynamic and increased over time. Our newly-established CS-based nomogram can provide a real-time dynamic survival estimation, allowing clinicians to better guide treatment decision for these patients.

Prognostic impact of peripheral natural killer cells in primary central nervous system lymphoma

Background

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a poor prognosis. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of circulating NK cells in PCNSL.

Materials and methods

Patients diagnosed with PCNSL who were treated at our institution between December 2018 and December 2019 were retrospectively screened. Patient variables including age, sex, Karnofsky performance status, diagnostic methods, location of lesions, lactate dehydrogenase, cerebrospinal fluids (CSF), and vitreous fluids involvement or not were documented. NK cell count and NK cell proportion (NK cell count/lymphocyte count) in the peripheral blood were evaluated by flow cytometry. Some patients underwent two consecutive NK cell tests before and three weeks after chemotherapy (before the next chemotherapy). The fold change in NK cell proportion and NK cell counts were calculated. CD56-positive NK cells in tumor tissue were assessed by immunohistochemistry. NK cell cytotoxicity assay was performed using flow cytometry.

Results

A total of 161 patients with PCNSL were included in this study. The median NK cell count of all NK cell tests was 197.73/μL (range 13.11-1889.90 cells/μL). The median proportion of NK cells was 14.11% (range 1.68-45.15%) for all. Responders had a higher median NK cell count (p<0.0001) and NK cell proportion (p<0.0001) than non-responders. Furthermore, Responders had a higher median fold change in NK cell proportion than non-responders (p=0.019) or patients in complete remission/partial remission (p<0.0001). A higher median fold change in NK cell count was observed in responders than in non-responders (p=0.0224) or patients in complete remission/partial remission (p=0.0002). For newly diagnosed PCNSL, patients with a high NK cell count (>165 cells/μL) appeared to have a longer median overall survival than those with a low NK cell count (p=0.0054). A high fold change in the proportion of NK cells (>0.1957; p=0.0367) or NK cell count (>0.1045; p=0.0356) was associated with longer progression-free survival. Circulating NK cells from newly-diagnosed PCNSL demonstrated an impaired cytotoxicity capacity compared to those from patients with PCNSL in complete remission or healthy donors.

Conclusion

Our study indicated that circulating NK cells had some impact on the outcome of PCNSL.

Multidrug chemotherapy, whole-brain radiation and cytarabine therapy for primary central nervous system lymphoma in elderly patients with dose modification based on geriatric assessment: study protocol for a phase II, multicentre, non-randomised study

INTRODUCTION

Multidrug chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab, high-dose methotrexate, procarbazine and vincristine (R-MPV) is a standard therapy for younger patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL); however, prospective data regarding its use in elderly patients are lacking. This multi-institutional, non-randomised, phase II trial will assess the efficacy and safety of R-MPV and high-dose cytarabine (HD-AraC) for geriatric patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Forty-five elderly patients will be included. If R-MPV does not achieve complete response, the patients will undergo reduced-dose, whole-brain radiotherapy comprising 23.4 Gy/13 fractions, followed by local boost radiotherapy comprising 21.6 Gy/12 fractions. After achieving complete response using R-MPV with or without radiotherapy, the patients will undergo two courses of HD-AraC. All patients will undergo baseline geriatric 8 (G8) assessment before HD-AraC and after three, five and seven R-MPV courses. Patients with screening scores of ≥14 points that decrease to <14 points during subsequent treatment, or those with screening scores <14 points that decrease from the baseline during subsequent treatment are considered unfit for R-MPV/HD-AraC. The primary endpoint is overall survival, and the secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, treatment failure-free survival and frequency of adverse events. The results will guide a later phase III trial and provide information about the utility of a geriatric assessment for defining chemotherapy ineligibility.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study complies with the latest Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent will be obtained. All participants can quit the study without penalty or impact on treatment. The protocol for the study, statistical analysis plan and informed consent form have been approved by the Certified Review Board at Hiroshima University (CRB6180006) (approval number: CRB2018-0011). The study is ongoing within nine tertiary and two secondary hospitals in Japan. The findings of this trial will be disseminated through national and international presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

jRCTs061180093.

Non-cancer-specific survival in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma: A multi-center cohort study

Objective

The study aimed to evaluate the non-cancer-specific death risk and identify the risk factors affecting the non-cancer-specific survival (NCSS) in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL).

Methods

This multi-center cohort study included 2497 patients with PCNSL in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database from 2007 to 2016, with a mean follow-up of 4.54 years. The non-cancer-specific death risk in patients with PCNSL and primary central nervous system diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PCNS-DLBCL) was evaluated using the proportion of deaths, standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and absolute excess risk (AER). Univariate and multivariate competing risk regression models were utilized to identify the risk factors of NCSS.

Results

PCNSL was the most frequent cause of death in PCNSL patients (75.03%). Non-cancer-specific causes constituted a non-negligible portion of death (20.61%). Compared with the general population, PCNSL patients had higher risks of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) (SMR, 2.55; AER, 77.29), Alzheimer's disease (SMR, 2.71; AER, 8.79), respiratory disease (SMR, 2.12; AER, 15.63), and other non-cancer-specific diseases (SMR, 4.12; AER, 83.12). Male sex, Black race, earlier year of diagnosis (2007-2011), being unmarried, and a lack of chemotherapy were risk factors for NCSS in patients with PCNSL and PCNS-DLBCL (all P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Non-cancer-specific causes were important competing causes of death in PCNSL patients. More attention is recommended to non-cancer-specific causes of death in the management of PCNSL patients.

Primary central nervous system CD20-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a case report

BACKGROUND

CD20-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a very rare and heterogeneous invasive cancer characterized by chemical resistance and poor prognosis. Primary CD20-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system is even rarer, presenting great challenges in pathological diagnosis and clinical treatment.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of primary CD20-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the CNS in a 54-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with a headache lasting more than 10 days. CT and MRI scans showed right temporal lobe lymphoma. Microscopically, large infiltrating lymphoid cells that induced brain tissue damage were observed. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor cells were CD79a⁺, PAX-5⁺, MUM1⁺, and CD20^-. The patient was diagnosed with lymphoma and transferred to an oncology hospital for chemotherapy. However, because the disease progressed rapidly, the patient died only after two rounds of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first reported cases of unclassifiable CD20-negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma located in the CNS. This case report aims to deepen the understanding of clinicopathological features of this type of lymphoma and expand the scope of this disease.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma: A mini-review

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a highly aggressive brain tumor with poor prognosis if no treatment. The activation of the NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-B) is the oncogenic hallmark of PCNSL, and it was driven by B cell receptor (BCR) and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways. The emergence of Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) has brought the dawn of life to patients with PCNSL. This review summarizes the management of PCNSL with BTKis and potential molecular mechanisms of BTKi in the treatment of PCNSL. And the review will focus on the clinical applications of BTKi in the treatment of PCNSL including the efficacy and adverse events, the clinical trials currently being carried out, the underlying mechanisms of resistance to BTKi and possible solutions to drug resistance.

Decision Tree Model for Predicting the Overall Survival of Patients with Diffused Large B-Cell Lymphoma in the Central Nervous System

OBJECTIVE

To identify the significant predictors of overall survival for patients living with diffused large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in the central nervous system and establish a novel decision tree model to help predict survival status at several time points.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with DLBCL were identified from the SEER database and randomly divided into training and test samples (6:4). Dichotomous decision trees were developed for survival status at 3, 12, 24, and 60 months. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy rate, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to evaluate the model performance.

RESULTS

A total of 2998 patients were included, with 1799 and 1199 patients divided into the training and testing groups. Decision trees for 3, 12, 24, and 60 months survival status were generated. Chemotherapy and patient's age were of the primary importance for prognosis in the novel models. Favorable consistency between the predicted and actual survival status was presented. The accuracy rates were 0.79, 0.71, 0.68, and 0.86 for training sample at 3, 12, 24, and 60 months, respectively, and 0.75, 0.69, 0.58, and 0.84 for test sample at 3, 12, 24, and 60 months, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values ranged between 0.645 and 0.721 for the training sample and between 0.607 and 0.712 for the test sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Novel decision tree models were established for predicting the 3, 12, 24, and 60 months survival status of patients with DLBCL. The newly developed models were verified using training and test samples, showing favorable accuracy and predictive value on overall survival.