Low-Grade Primary CNS Lymphoma: A More Indolent Disease?

A small series suggests that survival in this rare condition is longer than in PCNSL in general.

In this multicenter study, researchers retrospectively reviewed data on 40 immunocompetent patients diagnosed with a low-grade primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). The authors hypothesized that low-grade histology may carry a more benign prognosis than the typical high-grade histology usually associated with this disease.

Of the 40 patients identified during the 25-year period (1979 to 2004), 32 had a B-cell tumor and 8 had a T-cell malignancy. In all patients tested, the proliferation index was less than 20%. The mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 14.8 months, a long interval compared to high-grade PCNSL (mean, 2.8 months). Treatment varied: 15 patients received chemotherapy plus cranial radiotherapy (RT), usually with a high-dose metho…

Reviewing Author

Lisa M. DeAngelis, MD