High-dose methotrexate with or without rituximab in newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma

Neurology. 2014 Jul 15;83(3):235-9. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000593. Epub 2014 Jun 13.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab (R) when added to high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) in patients with newly diagnosed immunocompetent primary CNS lymphomas (PCNSLs).

Methods: Immunocompetent adults with newly diagnosed PCNSL treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1995 and 2012 were investigated. From 1995 to 2008, patients received HD-MTX monotherapy (8 g/m2 initially every 2 weeks and after complete response [CR] monthly to complete 12 months of therapy). From 2008 to 2012, patients received the same HD-MTX with rituximab (375 mg/m2) with each HD-MTX treatment. CR rates and median overall and progression-free survival were analyzed for each patient cohort in this single-institution, retrospective study.

Results: A total of 81 patients were identified: 54 received HD-MTX (median age 66 years) while 27 received HD-MTX/R (median age 65 years). CR rates were 36% in the HD-MTX cohort and 73% in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.0145). Median progression-free survival was 4.5 months in the HD-MTX cohort and 26.7 months in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.003). Median overall survival was 16.3 months in the HD-MTX cohort and has not yet been reached in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.01).

Conclusions: The addition of rituximab to HD-MTX appears to improve CR rates as well as overall and progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL. Comparisons of long-term survival in the 2 cohorts await further maturation of the data.

Classification of evidence: This study provides Class III evidence that in immunocompetent patients with PCNSL, HD-MTX plus rituximab compared with HD-MTX alone improves CR and overall survival rates.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Central Nervous System Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Lymphoma / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage
  • Methotrexate / pharmacology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rituximab
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Rituximab
  • Methotrexate