ABSTRACT
Data on older patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) are scarce. Comorbidities and performance status frequently compromise outcomes in this group. Medical records for consecutive patients ≥65 years (n = 244) with PCNSL diagnosed 2012-2017 from 14 UK centres were retrospectively reviewed. Of these 192 patients received methotrexate (MTX)-based treatment. Patients were categorised based on clinician's treatment choice into 'palliative' (n = 52), 'less intensive: MTX ± rituximab ± alkylators' (n = 74) and 'intensive: MTX/cytarabine combinations' (n = 118) groups. Complete remission (CR) rate, two-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 49%, 11% and 24% for the less intensive and 69%, 40% and 50% for the intensive groups. Treatment-related mortality (TRM) was 6·8% for MTX-treated patients. Median MTX cumulative dose was 8·8 g/m2 (range 1·5-21) over a median of three cycles. Higher relative dose intensity of MTX (MTX-RDI) was associated with improved PFS and OS in both groups adjusting for age, Eastern cooperative oncology group (ECOG) score and baseline parameters. Two-year PFS and OS for patients receiving four or more induction cycles followed by consolidation (n = 36) were 65% and 70% respectively. Older patients completing MTX-based induction and consolidation had clinical outcomes similar to those in younger cohorts. These retrospective data suggest that maximising MTX-RDI and delivering consolidation in a subgroup of older patients may improve clinical outcomes.
