title: A case series of pediatric primary central nervous system lymphoma: favorable outcome without cranial irradiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the outcome of childhood primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) treated with chemotherapy alone or with chemotherapy plus cranial radiotherapy (CRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review of children with PCNSL at six tertiary care pediatric centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight immunocompetent and four immunocompromised children were included. Ten children received chemotherapy alone without CRT, with most receiving high-dose methotrexate and high-dose cytarabine. Five year event-free survival (EFS) in this group was 70.0 +/- 14.5%. Two children received chemotherapy plus CRT; one relapsed and died while the other is alive in remission. Three children died, including two from relapsed disease. The other child with human immunodeficiency virus infection died of an opportunistic infection while in remission following chemotherapy alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most children with PCNSL can achieve long-term remissions with chemotherapy alone without CRT. Multi-center prospective studies are needed to confirm or refute these results in a larger number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. oussama.abla@sickkids.ca
authors.forename: Oussama
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abla
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Sandlund
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kirov
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blaser
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weitzman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D008727:Methotrexate