Elderly Patients With Primary Cns Lymphoma: Results From The G-Pcnsl-Sg-1 Trial

2007 Background: Age is the most important therapy-independent prognostic factor in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Here we aimed at providing an analysis of the impact of higher age on response to therapy, toxicity, and survival in the largest PCNSL trial ever performed to date. Methods: Response to therapy, toxicity and survival of PCNSL patients enrolled in the G-PCNSL-SG-1 trial evaluating the role of radiotherapy after high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX)-based chemotherapy were monitored. Subjects aged 70 or more were compared to younger patients. Results: Of all eligible patients (n=526), 126 (24%) were aged 70 or more. In the per protocol population, 66 of 318 patients (21%) were at least 70 years old. Among the eligible patients, the rate of complete and partial responses (CR+PR) to HD-MTX-based chemotherapy was 44% in the elderly compared to 57% in the younger patients (p=0.016). A higher rate of grade III/IV leukopenia was observed in the elderly (34% versus 21%, p=0.0...