title: Primary cerebral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: problems with diagnosis and development of a protocol for management.
abstract: The prognosis for primary cerebral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has improved markedly in the under-70 age group with the introduction of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A review of our patients has revealed difficulty in obtaining definitive histology initially in 21% (9/43). We investigated the role of corticosteroids in these patients and found an idiosyncratic response in that there was no significance either of the cumulative dose (p > 0.424) or the length of treatment (p > 0.453) with the observed regression of lymphoma with corticosteroids. In order to avoid indiscriminate corticosteroid administration we have formulated a management protocol the entry point for which is a patient with enhanced computered tomography appearances of primary cerebral lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cartmill
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allibone
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bessell
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone