Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a type of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma that involves only the central nervous system. Untreated PCNSL in the elderly has a rapidly fatal course.
Patients and methods: In this retrospective study, we evaluated the demographics, management, and outcomes of patients over 60 years of age with PCNSL at our institution.
Results: A total of 54 patients with a median age of 67 years were included in the analysis. The initial treatment regimens included whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), chemotherapy with or without consolidation WBRT. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval CI=2.7-22 months) and the median overall survival (OS) was 38 months (95% CI=18-65 months). On multivariable analysis, age younger than 70 years and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) no less than 70 were favorable prognostic factors for both OS and PFS.
Conclusion: Aggressive treatment strategies for elderly patients with PCNSL with good performance status can lead to improved outcomes in this patient population.
Keywords: Lymphoma; chemotherapy; elderly; performance status; radiation.