CNS involvement and the feasibility of intratecal chemotherapy administration in patients with a nodal form of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified. Data of prospective study

Aim of the issue was to determine indications for intratecal chemotherapy drugs administration to prevent relapse of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement.
Materials and methods. Since January 2009 to December 2018 102 patients with primary nodal DLBCL over 18 years old were treated in the National Research Center for Hematology, Moscow, Russian Federation. Diagnosis were established in all cases according to histological and immunohistochemical studies which made it possible to exclude the transformation of mature B-cell lymphoma into DLBCL.
Results. Isolated leptomeningeal involvement of CNS in the debut of the disease was detected in 1 (0,98%) out of 102 patients with DLBCL. Focal brain tissue involvement was not detected in any patient. More than half of the patients (54%) had a high risk of disease recurrence or progression with CNS involvement: in 8 (7,8%) patients had kidney/adrenal involvement, in the same proportion – bone marrow involvement, paranasal sinuses involvement – in 5 (4,9 %), epidural space – in 7 (6,9%) and breast – in 5 (4,9%) of patients. In 82 (80%) patients, a non-GCB (postgerminal differentiation of B-cell analog) molecular subtype of DLBCL was determined.