title: Primary central nervous system lymphoma in the elderly: the Cleveland clinic experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a type of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma that involves only the central nervous system. Untreated PCNSL in the elderly has a rapidly fatal course.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we evaluated the demographics, management, and outcomes of patients over 60 years of age with PCNSL at our institution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 54 patients with a median age of 67 years were included in the analysis. The initial treatment regimens included whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), chemotherapy with or without consolidation WBRT. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval CI=2.7-22 months) and the median overall survival (OS) was 38 months (95% CI=18-65 months). On multivariable analysis, age younger than 70 years and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) no less than 70 were favorable prognostic factors for both OS and PFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aggressive treatment strategies for elderly patients with PCNSL with good performance status can lead to improved outcomes in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Section Head Neuro-Oncology Outcomes, Burkhardt Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, S70, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dahiya
authors.forename: Erin S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Glen H J
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Peereboom
authors.forename: Manmeet S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ahluwalia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009820:Ohio; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Lymphoma; chemotherapy; elderly; performance status; radiation