The role of whole brain radiation therapy in treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma: necessary or not / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a type of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma.Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) combined with high-dose methotrexate is the standard treatment.Although PCNSL patients are sensitive to radiation therapy,the duration of response is relatively short and it is likely to provoke delayed neurotoxicity,especially in the elderly patients.Reduced-dose WBRT and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) can lower the risk of neutotoxicity,whereas the clinical efficacy remains to be validated.For the elderly patients with PCNSL,application of WBRT in the first-line treatment should be cautiously considered.