Primary central nervous system lymphoma : results at the university of California at Los Angeles and Review of the literature

The authors report 24 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) treated from 1977 to 1992. There were 13 females and 11 males. Median age was 57 (range: 17-84). Patients were symptomatic for a median of 3 months. Headache was the most common complaint. Median Karnofsky performance score was 70. There were 19 patients with solitary PCNSL, and 5 had multiple deposits. Disease was confined to the supratentorium in 23 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology was positive in 5 of 22 patients examined. All patients received whole-brain irradiation with or without supplemental tumor boost. Tumor doses ranged from 10 to 60 Gy. Intrathecal chemotherapy was administered to 16 patients and 7 received systemic agents