title: Prognosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma treated with radiotherapy alone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Standard treatment for patients with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma involves combining high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy and radiation. However, chemotherapy is sometimes contraindicated, and radiotherapy alone becomes the only option. We retrospectively investigated the clinical outcomes of primary CNS lymphoma patients treated with radiotherapy alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1983 and 2006, 35 patients (median age 69 years, range 37-89 years) with primary CNS lymphoma were treated with radiotherapy alone. Of these, 74 % had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 2-4. Most patients (91 %) received whole-brain irradiation with or without irradiation boost to the tumor site (median dose 50 Gy, range 22-50 Gy); remaining patients received partial brain irradiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up time was 20 (range 1-152) months, median survival time was 20 months, and the 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 65 and 32 %, respectively. Median survival in patients aged <70 and ≥ 70 years was 26 and 10 months, respectively (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Median survival with radiotherapy alone was 20 months. Patients aged <70 years have a better prognosis than those ≥ 70 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Shitsukawa, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan. bato7780@m.ehime-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Senzo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Teruhito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome