A prospective study on the circulation and central nervous system after primary central nervous system B cell lymphoma treatment with rituximab

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 37; no. 15_suppl; p. e13518
• Main Authors: Lin, Tongyu, Peng, Chen, Liu, Shu, Guo, Cheng-cheng, Wang, Zhao, Huang, He, Fang, Xiaojie, Hong, Huang Ming, Ren, Quanguang, Li, Fangfang, Li, Xue Ying, Tian, Ying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.05.2019
• ISSN: 0732-183X; 1527-7755
• DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.e13518

Abstract only e13518 Background: The use of rituximab(RTX)for the treatment of primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL) is controversial, and whether the RTX permeability of the blood-brain barrier can be improved by craniotomy is unknown. Methods: ImmunocompetentPCNSL patients newly diagnosed via craniotomy or stereotactic biopsy were enrolled and received RTX (375 mg/m 2 , Q3w) treatment. Systemicnon-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma (systemic-B-NHL)patients without CNS involvement served as the control group. The trough concentrations of RTX (C RTX ) and CD19 levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma were analyzed by ELISA and flow cytometry methods during each treatment cycle.The efficacy and adverse effects were recorded. Results: From December 2016 to February 2018, 21 PCNSL and 32 systemic-B-NHL patientswere enrolled. The CSF C RTX in the craniotomy-PCNSL group (0.2198±0.1866μg/ml) was significantly higher than those in the stereotactic-PCNSLgroup (0.0613±0.0408 μg/ml, P = 0.031) and the systemic-B-NHLgroup (0.0799±0.0614μg/ml, P = 0.046). The BBB penetrabilityof RTX in the craniotomy-PCNSL group (1.52±1.05%) was nearly four times that in the stereotactic-PCNSL group (0.41±0.19%, P = 0.048) and nearly three timesthat in the systemic-B-NHL group (0.54±0.61%, P = 0.012). No significant differences in the C RTX or BBB penetrability of RTX were observedbetween the stereotactic-PCNSL and systemic-B-NHL groups. CD19 levels in plasma fell below 0.1% in all patients before the second cycle of chemotherapy, and the time required for CSF CD19cell clearance in craniotomy-PCNSL patients tended to be reduced compared with that required by stereotactic-PCNSL patients. The CR and ORR rates of craniotomy-PCNSL patientswere 30% higher than those of stereotactic-PCNSL patients. Conclusions: The BBB penetrability of RTXand the CSF C RTX are significantly improved in PCNSL patients diagnosed via craniotomy.Rituximab could be recommended for routine use in craniotomy PCNSL patients. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR-TRC-11001687.