Successful change of treatment strategy in elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma by de-escalating induction and introducing temozolomide maintenance: results from a phase II study by The Nordic Lymphoma Group

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Abstract
Background: Nordic Lymphoma Group has conducted a phase ll trial in primary central nervous system lymphoma patients applying age-adjusted multi-agent immunochemotherapy regimen, which in elderly patients included temozolomide maintenance treatment. Design and Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL aged 18-75 years were eligible. Sixty-six patients (median age 64 years) were enrolled. Two age groups were predefined as those of 18-65 and 66-75 years of age. Results: The overall response rate was 90.8 %. With a median follow-up of 22 months, the 2-year overall survival probability was 60.7 % in patients < 65 years and 55.6% in patients > 65 years (p= 0.40). The estimated progression-free survival at 2 years was 33.1% (CI: 19.1%-47.9%) in patients < 65 years and 44.4% (CI: 25.6%-61.8%) in the elderly subgroup (p=0.74). Median duration of response was 10 months in the younger, not reached in the elderly patients (p=0.33). Four patients aged 64-75 years (6 %) died from treatment related complications. Conclusion: Survival in the two age groups was similar despite a de-escalation of induction treatment in patients > 65 years. Duration of response in elderly patients receiving maintenance temozolomide was longer than in the younger age subgroup. While toxicity during induction is still of concern especially in the elderly patients we conclude from these data that de-escalation of induction therapy in elderly PCNSL patients followed by maintenance treatment seems to be a promising treatment strategy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number [NCT01458730][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01458730&atom=%2Fhaematol%2Fearly%2F2014%2F11%2F28%2Fhaematol.2014.108472.atom

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