title: The Influence of Corticosteroids on Diagnostic Accuracy of Biopsy for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma.
abstract: Classical neurosurgical teaching suggests that corticosteroid administration reduces the diagnostic yield of stereotactic brain biopsy for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). In a single-center series spanning 6 years, we reviewed 155 consecutive biopsy patients, 135 treated with prebiopsy corticosteroids. PCNSL was correctly diagnosed on initial biopsy in 15 of 16 steroid-treated patients; in the single nondiagnostic specimen, polymerase chain reaction reanalysis by an outside institution showed evidence of lymphoproliferative disease consistent with PCNSL. Our data challenge the notion that it is necessary to withhold corticosteroid therapy for cerebral edema in patients awaiting stereotactic biopsy for suspected PCNSL.
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Neurosurgery,Department of Surgery,University of Alberta,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Mashary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binnahil
authors.affiliation: 3Division of Neurosurgery,Department of Surgery,University of Toronto,Toronto,Canada.
authors.forename: Karolyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Au
authors.affiliation: 2Division of Neuropathology,Department of Pathology,University of Alberta,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Jian-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Neurosurgery,Department of Surgery,University of Alberta,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Blaise Matthew
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.affiliation: 1Division of Neurosurgery,Department of Surgery,University of Alberta,Alberta,Canada.
authors.forename: Tejas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sankar
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018951:Antigens, CD20
keywords: Lymphoma; Neuro-Oncology; Neuropathology; Neurosurgery