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Most relapses of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) occur in the brain and are associated with a poor prognosis. Isolated intraocular relapses (IIORs) are rare and poorly described. We retrospectively selected from the French Lymphome Oculo-Cérébral database PCNSL patients who initially presented with cerebral localization and who experienced IIOR during the course of the disease. Of the 1472 patients included in the database, 55 patients presented an IIOR. Their median age was 68 years, and median Karnofsky Performance Status 80. IL-10 levels in the aqueous humor and/or in the vitreous were increased in 42/46 patients. 45/55 patients received systemic chemotherapy, and 11/55 received high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HCT-ASCT) as consolidation treatment. After a median follow-up of 69 months, 42/55 patients had relapsed, including 90% of the patients who did not receive HCT-ASCT at IIOR and 40% of the patients who received HCT-ASCT at IIOR (p < 0.001). The first relapse after the initial IIOR was exclusively in the eye in 23/42 patients, and 29/42 patients had a subsequent brain relapse during the course of the disease. The median progression-free survival, brain-free survival and overall survival from IIOR were 12.2, 48.6 and 57.1 months, respectively. Isolated intraocular relapse is not exceptional in the course of PCNSL and deserves systematic ophthalmological follow-up. Its prognosis is much better than the prognosis of brain relapse, with an evolution close to that of primary vitreoretinal lymphoma. With the exception of patients who received HCT-ASCT at IIOR, almost all patients subsequently relapsed, often with other IIORs., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported. We previously reported the results of a randomized phase II study in patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma (age 18-60 years). Patients were treated with high-dose methotrexate-based induction chemotherapy followed by whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or high-dose chemotherapy (thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide) with autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). The median follow-up was 33 months. In this report, we provide long-term data (median follow-up, 8 years) regarding the outcomes and toxicities. Fifty-three and 44 patients received induction chemotherapy followed by WBRT or ASCT, respectively. Their 8-year event-free survival from random assignment was 67% and 39% in the ASCT and WBRT arms, respectively ( P = .03), with a significantly lower risk of relapse after ASCT (hazard ratio, 0.13; P < .001). One third of patients who relapsed after WBRT were alive after salvage treatment. Five and four patients died of ASCT and WBRT-related toxicities, respectively. The 8-year overall survival was 69% and 65% in the ASCT and WBRT arms, respectively (not significant). Balance (52% v 10%, P ≤ 0.001) and neurocognition (64% v 13%, P < .001) significantly deteriorated after WBRT compared with ASCT during the follow-up. This study shows that 40 Gy WBRT should be avoided in first-line treatment because of its neurotoxicity and suboptimal efficacy in reducing relapses while ASCT appears to be highly efficient in preventing relapses.

We analysed the therapeutic outcomes of all consecutive patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) registered in the prospective French database for PCNSL and treated with intensive chemotherapy (IC) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (IC-ASCT) between 2011 and November 2019 (271 patients recruited, 266 analysed). In addition, treatment-related complications of thiotepa-based IC-ASCT were analysed from the source files of 85 patients from 3 centers. Patients had received IC-ASCT either in first-line treatment (n = 147) or at relapse (n = 119). The median age at IC-ASCT was 57 years (range: 22-74). IC consisted of thiotepa-BCNU (n = 64), thiotepa-busulfan (n = 24), BCNU-etoposide-cytarabine-melphalan (BEAM, n = 36) and thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide (n = 142). In multivariate analysis, BEAM and ASCT beyond the first relapse were adverse prognostic factors for relapse risk. The risk of treatment-related mortality was higher for ASCT performed beyond the first relapse and seemed higher for thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide. Thiotepa-BCNU tends to result in a higher relapse rate than thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide and thiotepa-busulfan. This study confirms the role of IC-ASCT in first-line treatment and at first-relapse PCNSL (5-year overall survival rates of 80 and 50%, respectively). The benefit/risk ratio of thiotepa-busulfan/thiotepa-busulfan-cyclophosphamide-ASCT could be improved by considering ASCT earlier in the course of the disease and dose adjustment of the IC., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: Age-adjusted lymphoma incidence rates continue to rise in France since the early 80's, although rates have slowed since 2010 and vary across subtypes. Recent improvements in patient survival in major lymphoma subtypes at population level raise new questions about patient outcomes (i.e. quality of life, long-term sequelae). Epidemiological studies have investigated factors related to lymphoma risk, but few have addressed the extent to which socioeconomic status, social institutional context (i.e. healthcare system), social relationships, environmental context (exposures), individual behaviours (lifestyle) or genetic determinants influence lymphoma outcomes, especially in the general population. Moreover, the knowledge of the disease behaviour mainly obtained from clinical trials data is partly biased because of patient selection., Methods: The REALYSA ("REal world dAta in LYmphoma and Survival in Adults") study is a real-life multicentric cohort set up in French areas covered by population-based cancer registries to study the prognostic value of epidemiological, clinical and biological factors with a prospective 9-year follow-up. We aim to include 6000 patients over 4 to 5 years. Adult patients without lymphoma history and newly diagnosed with one of the following 7 lymphoma subtypes (diffuse large B-cell, follicular, marginal zone, mantle cell, Burkitt, Hodgkin, mature T-cell) are invited to participate during a medical consultation with their hematologist. Exclusion criteria are: having already received anti-lymphoma treatment (except pre-phase) and having a documented HIV infection. Patients are treated according to the standard practice in their center. Clinical data, including treatment received, are extracted from patients' medical records. Patients' risk factors exposures and other epidemiological data are obtained at baseline by filling out a questionnaire during an interview led by a clinical research assistant. Biological samples are collected at baseline and during treatment. A virtual tumor biobank is constituted for baseline tumor samples. Follow-up data, both clinical and epidemiological, are collected every 6 months in the first 3 years and every year thereafter., Discussion: This cohort constitutes an innovative platform for clinical, biological, epidemiological and socio-economic research projects and provides an opportunity to improve knowledge on factors associated to outcome of lymphoma patients in real life., Trial Registration: 2018-A01332-53, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03869619 .

Objective: Real-life studies on patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) are scarce. Our objective was to analyze, in a nationwide population-based study, the current medical practice in the management of PCNSL., Methods: The French oculo-cerebral lymphoma network (LOC) database prospectively records all newly diagnosed PCNSL cases from 32 French centers. Data of patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2016 were retrospectively analyzed., Results: We identified 1,002 immunocompetent patients (43% aged >70 years, median Karnofsky Performance Status [KPS] 60). First-line treatment was high-dose methotrexate-based chemotherapy in 92% of cases, with an increasing use of rituximab over time (66%). Patients <60 years of age received consolidation treatment in 77% of cases, consisting of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) (54%) or high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HCT-ASCT) (23%). Among patients >60 years of age, WBRT and HCT-ASCT consolidation were administered in only 9% and 2%, respectively. The complete response rate to initial chemotherapy was 50%. Median progression-free survival was 10.5 months. For relapse, second-line chemotherapy, HCT-ASCT, WBRT, and palliative care were offered to 55%, 17%, 10%, and 18% of patients, respectively. The median, 2-year, and 5-year overall survival was 25.3 months, 51%, and 38%, respectively (<60 years: not reached [NR], 70%, and 61%; >60 years: 15.4 months, 44%, and 28%). Age, KPS, sex, and response to induction CT were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis., Conclusions: Our study confirms the increasing proportion of elderly within the PCNSL population and shows comparable outcome in this population-based study with those reported by clinical trials, reflecting a notable application of recent PCNSL advances in treatment., (© 2020 American Academy of Neurology.)

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of chemoimmunotherapy followed by either whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or intensive chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) as a first-line treatment of primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL)., Patients and Methods: Immunocompetent patients (18 to 60 years of age) with untreated PCNSL were randomly assigned to receive WBRT or ASCT as consolidation treatment after induction chemotherapy consisting of two cycles of R-MBVP (rituximab 375 mg/m 2 day (D) 1, methotrexate 3 g/m 2 D1; D15, VP16 100 mg/m 2 D2, BCNU 100 mg/m 2 D3, prednisone 60 mg/kg/d D1-D5) followed by two cycles of R-AraC (rituximab 375 mg/m 2 D1, cytarabine 3 g/m 2 D1 to D2). Intensive chemotherapy consisted of thiotepa (250 mg/m 2 /d D9; D8; D7), busulfan (8 mg/kg D6 through D4), and cyclophosphamide (60 mg/kg/d D3; D2). WBRT delivered 40 Gy (2 Gy/fraction). The primary end point was 2-year progression-free survival. Cognitive outcome was the main secondary end point. Analysis was intention to treat in a noncomparative phase II trial., Results: Between October 2008 and February 2014, 140 patients were recruited from 23 French centers. Both WBRT and ASCT met the predetermined threshold (among the first 38 patients in each group, at least 24 patients were alive and disease free at 2 years). The 2-year progression-free survival rates were 63% (95% CI, 49% to 81%) and 87% (95% CI, 77% to 98%) in the WBRT and ASCT arms, respectively. Toxicity deaths were recorded in one and five patients after WBRT and ASCT, respectively. Cognitive impairment was observed after WBRT, whereas cognitive functions were preserved or improved after ASCT., Conclusion: WBRT and ASCT are effective consolidation treatments for patients with PCNSL who are 60 years of age and younger. The efficacy end points tended to favor the ASCT arm. The specific risk of each procedure should be considered.

Aim: Our aim was (1) to evaluate the prevalence of steatosis in lymphoma patients and its evolution during treatment; (2) to evaluate the impact of hepatic steatosis on 18 F-FDG liver uptake; and (3) to study how hepatic steatosis affects the Deauville score (DS) for discriminating between responders and non-responders., Methods: Over a 1-year period, 358 PET scans from 227 patients [122 diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 57 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and 48 Follicular lymphoma (FL)] referred for baseline (n = 143), interim (n = 79) and end-of-treatment (EoT, n = 136) PET scans were reviewed. Steatosis was diagnosed on the unenhanced CT part of PET/CT examinations using a cut-off value of 42 Hounsfield units (HU). EARL-compliant SUL max were recorded on the liver and the tumour target lesion. DS were then computed., Results: Prevalence of steatosis at baseline, interim and EoT PET was 15/143 (10.5%), 6/79 (7.6%) and 16/136 (11.8%), respectively (p = 0.62).Ten out of 27 steatotic patients (37.0%) displayed a steatotic liver on all examinations. Six patients (22.2%) had a disappearance of hepatic steatosis during their time-course of treatment. Only one patient developed steatosis during his course of treatment. Liver SUL max values were significantly lower in the steatosis versus non-steatotic groups of patients for interim (1.66 ± 0.36 versus 2.15 ± 0.27) and EoT (1.67 ± 0.29 versus 2.17 ± 0.30) PET. CT density was found to be an independent factor that correlated with liver SUL max , while BMI, blood glucose level and the type of chemotherapy regimen were not. Using a method based on this correlation to correct liver SUL max , all DS4 steatotic patients on interim (n = 1) and EoT (n = 2) PET moved to DS3., Conclusions: Steatosis is actually a theoretical but not practical issue in most patients but should be recognised and corrected in appropriate cases, namely, for those patients scored DS4 with a percentage difference between the target lesion and the liver background lower than 30%.

Carmustine shortage has led to an increase use of alternative conditioning regimens prior to autologous stem cell transplantation for the treatment of lymphoma, including Bendamustine-based (BeEAM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of the BeEAM regimen in a large cohort of patients. A total of 474 patients with a median age of 56 years were analyzed. The majority of patients had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (43.5%). Bendamustine was administered at a median dose of 197 mg/m 2 /day (50-250) on days-7 and -6. The observed grade 1-4 toxicities included mucositis (83.5%), gastroenteritis (53%), skin toxicity (34%), colitis (29%), liver toxicity (19%), pneumonitis (5%), and cardiac rhythm disorders (4%). Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was reported in 3.3% of patients. Acute renal failure (ARF) was reported in 132 cases (27.9%) (G ≥2; 12.3%). Organ toxicities and death were more frequent in patients with post conditioning renal failure. In a multivariate analysis, pretransplant chronic renal failure, bendamustine dose >160 mg/m 2 and age were independent prognostic factors for ARF. Pretransplant chronic renal failure, hyperhydration volume, duration of hyperhydration, and etoposide dose were predictive factors of NRM. A simple, four-point scoring system can stratify patients by levels of risk for ARF and may allow for a reduction in the bendamustine dose to avoid toxicity. Drugs shortage may have dangerous consequences. Prospective, comparative studies are needed to confirm the toxicity/efficacy extents from this conditioning regimen compared to other types of high dose therapy., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Despite great improvements in the outcome of patients with lymphoma, some may still relapse or present with primary refractory disease. In these situations, allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is a potentially curative option, in particular in the case of relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation. Recently, novel agents such as anti-PD1 and BTK inhibitors have started to challenge the use of allo-HCT for relapsed or refractory lymphoma. During the 2016 annual workshop of the Francophone Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC), we performed a comprehensive review of the literature published in the last 10 years and established guidelines to clarify the indications and transplant modalities in this setting. This manuscript reports on general considerations regarding allo-HCT for lymphoma and elaborates on the use of alternative donors in this setting., (Copyright © 2017 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Bendamustine is used in the treatment of different relapsing or refractory subtypes of lymphoma. Its impact on the yield of peripheral blood stem cells is not well known. Twenty three patients who received bendamustine followed immediately or after another chemotherapy by stem cell mobilization (SCM) were included. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=17), in whom SCM was performed immediately after bendamustine chemotherapy, and group 2 (n=6), in whom SCM was performed after another cycle of chemotherapy. The success rate of mobilization after Bendamustine+/-plerixafor was 36% (eight cytapheresis succeeded for a total number of 22 cytapheresis); and 75% after other approaches (chemotherapy based or steady state) used for patients who received bendamustine previously. Although bendamustine used alone was not an effective drug to mobilize stem cells, this agent does not seem to have detrimental effects on subsequent SCM.

Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) loss is poorly defined in lymphoma patients. The aim of this study was to measure the extent of BMD loss in newly diagnosed lymphoma patients receiving chemotherapy., Patients and Methods: This was a prospective, single-center study conducted in patients aged≥18 years with previously confirmed lymphoma treated by chemotherapy. Patients with low baseline BMD defined as Z/T-score less than or equal to -2.5 and/or history of osteoporotic fractures were excluded. BMD was measured at baseline before initiating chemotherapy and 1 year later. Predictive factors of BMD loss were investigated., Results: Forty-one lymphoma patients (31 males and 10 females) receiving chemotherapy were enrolled. The median age at diagnosis was 59 (range: 19-86) years. Histological subtypes were predominantly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (58%), mostly stage III-IV (54%). All patients received chemotherapy and 22% of patients received second-line treatment due to relapse or progressive disease. Thirty-two patients were evaluable at 1 year. The mean BMD changes were: -2.7%±3.9% for lumbar spine (P<0.001), -2.2%±7.6% for femoral neck (P<0.01) and -2.6%±4.5% for total hip (P<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, predictive factors of BMD loss at baseline were (i) at lumbar spine: female gender (P=0.01), higher lactate dehydrogenase level (P=0.04) and lower creatinine clearance (P=0.01); (ii) at total hip: lower albumin (P=0.01), higher corrected serum calcium (P<0.01), lower alkaline phosphatase (AP) (P<0.01) and autologous stem cell transplant (P=0.03); and (iii) at femoral neck: higher corrected serum calcium (P=0.02) and lower bone AP (P=0.01)., Conclusion: Adult patients with known lymphoma receiving chemotherapy experienced significant BMD loss at 1 year.

In 2010, a multidisciplinary team within the clinical haematology and cellular therapy department of Amiens general hospital set up a project to optimise the care of patients suffering from lymphoma. The setting up of nurse diagnosis announcement consultations, telephone consultations, new clinical nursing practices, in collaboration with the medical teams, integrates new nursing roles in advanced practices in oncology.

Background: Relapsing primary central nervous system lymphoma carries a poor prognosis when treated with conventional chemotherapy with a one-year overall survival of 25-40%. Encouraging results have been shown with intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue. We report the results of a large multicenter retrospective analysis of intensive chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell rescue in immunocompetent adult patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma or intraocular lymphoma after the failure of high-dose methotrexate-based treatment., Design and Methods: Patients were included if they received intensive chemotherapy with a combination of thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide. Seventy-nine patients (median age 52.4 years, range 23-67 years) were identified. All of the patients except 5 received a salvage treatment after the failure of high-dose methotrexate. After salvage treatment and just before intensive chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell rescue, 32 patients were in complete response, 26 patients were in partial response, 2 patients had stable disease and 19 patients had progressive disease., Results: With a median follow up of 56 months, the 5-year overall survival probability was 51% in the whole population and 62% among patients who were chemosensitive to the salvage treatment. The 5-year event-free survival probability was 37.8% in the whole population and 43.7% in the chemosensitive subpopulation. Neurocognitive assessments in a subset of patients suggest no evidence of intensive chemotherapy-induced neurocognitive decline., Conclusions: Thiotepa, busulfan and cyclophosphamide-based intensive chemotherapy is an effective treatment for refractory and recurrent primary central nervous system lymphoma in chemosensitive patients up to 65 years of age. The role of intensive chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell rescue in chemorefractory patients needs to be more accurately defined.

Background: Eosinophilic dermatosis of hematologic disease (EDH) or insect bite-like reaction is a pruritic dermatitis described mostly in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). We describe six patients with the disorder in association with CLL and other blood dyscrasias., Patients and Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients with EDH seen between 2004 and 2009 in our department and re-examined histological slides., Results: Mean age at dermatosis onset was 75.6 years and the sex ratio was 1. There were three CLL, two mantle-cell lymphomas and one MALT-type lymphoma. The dermatitis was quite polymorphic, with erythematous papules, wheals and plaques. The initial skin lesions appeared at the same time as or after the diagnosis of haematological neoplasm. Their reappearance heralded relapse of the blood disease in three cases. Histologically, all lesions had a dense dermal infiltrate of small, mostly CD4+ T-cells, with numerous eosinophils. In three patients, there was marked folliculotropism, resembling folliculotropic T-cell lymphoma. In most cases, EDH disappeared after appropriate chemotherapy for the blood disorder., Discussion: Our cases show that the clinical expression of EDH is quite polymorphic. Its appearance may precede relapse of or may indicate prompt search screening for blood dyscrasia. The most efficient treatment of this dermatosis appears to be specific chemotherapy for the blood dyscrasia. There is reason to believe that a population of T-helper 2 (Th2) lymphocytes, reactive to malignant B-cells, induces tissue eosinophilia, mainly through production of interleukin (IL)-5, among other cytokines. Eosinophils appear to be the main effector cells., (Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

The treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) has been considerably improved over recent years. In this article, we report six cases of PCNSL treated by first-line induction chemotherapy followed by intensive chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Six immunocompetent patients presenting with a PCNSL, confirmed by thoraco-abdomino-pelvic computer tomography scan and bone marrow biopsy, were treated with induction chemotherapy followed by BEAM intensive chemotherapy and ASCT and radiotherapy. At the end of the treatment, all the patients were in complete remission. After a median follow-up of 41.5 months (17-70 months), four patients were alive without signs of relapse (median survival: 35.5 months). Two patients died from relapse at 19 and 23 months. The neurotoxicity was low with epilepsy in one patient and persistent left side dysesthesia in another one. These results are fairly encouraging. Other studies with greater numbers of patients and longer follow-up are needed to confirm this study.