Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL) is an unusual extranodal form of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with a locally aggressive course but a rare tendency to disseminate systemically. It has been documented in that the clinical characteristics and response to treatment among Asians is comparable to the Western population yet no studies done locally are available. Objectives: This study aims to determine the clinico-pathologic profile of patients diagnosed with PCNSL seen at Philippine General Hospital (PGH) from January 2006 to September, 2014 and to evaluate the patients’ response to the following treatment modalities: 1) Combination chemotherapy 2) Chemo-RT 3) Single agent chemotherapy and 4) no specific anti-lymphoma treatment. Methodology: This is a descriptive and retrospective study that included all cases of histologically-proven PCNSL seen at the PGH from January 2006 to September, 2014. The clinical profile, imaging studies and biopsy findings were obtained from the patient records. The survival rates at the end of one and two years of diagnosis were computed. Results and Conclusion. Among patients diagnosed with PCNSL at PGH, there is a higher incidence of PCNSL among males with a male to female ratio of 1.4:1 and have a younger onset with a median age of 50.2 years. Most patients presented with signs of increase ICP and majority had solitary cortical lesions with histopathologic diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Patients who did not undergo any form of treatment had a mean survival of 10 months. Immunocompromised patients had a shorter life-span with a mean survival of 7.5 months. Treatment of combination chemotherapy with HD-MTX and Rituximab had the most favorable outcome followed by HD-MTX only with a 2 year survival rate of 100% and 66% respectively while patients who underwent chemo-RT had a 2 year survival rate of 33% with a high incidence of neurocognitive delay.
The paradigmatic shift in the clinical profile of dengue patients: a prospective observational study from a tertiary care center in north India
