The Emesis Trial: Depressive Glioma Patients Are More Affected by Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.

Purpose: Glioma patients face a limited life expectancy and at the same time, they suffer from afflicting symptoms and undesired effects of tumor treatment. Apart from bone marrow suppression, standard chemotherapy with temozolomide causes nausea, emesis and loss of appetite. In this pilot study, we investigated how chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) affects the patients' levels of depression and their quality of life.

New Trends, Advantages and Disadvantages in Anticoagulation and Coating Methods Used in Extracorporeal Life Support Devices.

The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) devices has significantly increased in the last decades. Despite medical and technological advancements, a main challenge in the ECLS field remains the complex interaction between the human body, blood, and artificial materials. Indeed, blood exposure to artificial surfaces generates an unbalanced activation of the coagulation cascade, leading to hemorrhagic and thrombotic events.

Twenty-year follow-up of a pilot/phase II trial on the Bonn protocol for primary CNS lymphoma.

Objective: To determine whether a fraction of patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) had been cured by systemic and intraventricular methotrexate- and cytarabine-based chemotherapy (Bonn protocol) after a very long-term follow-up of nearly 20 years.

Methods: Sixty-five patients (median age 62 years, range 27-75; median Karnofsky performance score 70, range 20-90) had been treated with systemic and intraventricular polychemotherapy without whole brain radiotherapy from September 1995 until December 2001. All patients still alive in 2019 were contacted and interviewed on their current life situation.

HDMTX-based induction therapy followed by consolidation with conventional systemic chemotherapy and intraventricular therapy (modified Bonn protocol) in primary CNS lymphoma: a monocentric retrospective analysis.

Background: To evaluate outcome and toxicity of High-dose methotrexate (HDMTX)-based induction therapy followed by consolidation with conventional systemic chemotherapy and facultative intraventricular therapy (modified Bonn protocol) in patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL).

Methods: Between 01/2005 and 12/2013 113 patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL presented at our center; 98 of those qualified for HDMTX based chemotherapy, received a modified Bonn protocol and were included in the analysis. The treatment regimen was based on the "Bonn protocol", but modified by omission of systemic drugs not able to cross the intact blood brain barrier.

Prehospital stroke diagnostics based on neurological examination and transcranial ultrasound.

Background: Transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) has proved to be a fast and reliable tool for the detection of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions in a hospital setting. In this feasibility study on prehospital sonography, our aim was to investigate the accuracy of TCCS for neurovascular emergency diagnostics when performed in a prehospital setting using mobile ultrasound equipment as part of a neurological examination.

Methods: Following a '911 stroke code' call, stroke neurologists experienced in TCCS rendezvoused with the paramedic team.

Association of transcobalamin c. 776C>G with overall survival in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Background: Chemotherapy for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is based on methotrexate (MTX), which interferes with both nucleic acid synthesis and methionine metabolism. We have reported previously that genetic variants with influence on methionine metabolism are associated with MTX side effects, that is, the occurrence of white matter lesions as a sign of MTX neurotoxicity. Here, we investigated whether such variants are associated with MTX efficacy in terms of overall survival in MTX-treated PCNSL patients.

Transcranial ultrasound from diagnosis to early stroke treatment: part 2: prehospital neurosonography in patients with acute stroke: the Regensburg stroke mobile project.

Background And Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy and time frames for neurological and transcranial color-coded sonography (TCCS) assessments in a prehospital '911' emergency stroke situation by using portable duplex ultrasound devices to visualize the bilateral middle cerebral arteries (MCAs).

Methods: This study was conducted between May 2010 and January 2011. Patients who had sustained strokes in the city of Regensburg and the surrounding area in Bavaria, Germany, were enrolled in the study.

Relapse of primary central nervous system lymphoma 13 years after high-dose methotrexate-based polychemotherapy.

We report a now 74-year-old patient who was successfully treated with a methotrexate (MTX)-ssbased polychemotherapy protocol (Bonn protocol) for primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in 1996. When presenting with an unusually late relapse after 13 years of tumor-free survival the diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical and radiological criteria. In the context of the very limited treatment options for recurrent PCNSL, it is reassuring that the re-application of high dose-MTX-based polychemotherapy, including intraventricular treatment, again succeeded in a sustained complete response with still low neurotoxicity.

Isolated central nervous system relapse of systemic lymphoma (SCNSL): clinical features and outcome of a retrospective analysis.

We analyzed clinical outcome of patients with an isolated central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL) relapse after systemic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). All 23 patients with an isolated secondary CNSL (SCNSL) treated at two institutions from 04/2003-12/2007 were included into this analysis. At cerebral relapse, 15/23 patients were treated with a regimen consisting of high-dose methotrexate (Bonn protocol).

MRI patterns in recurrence of primary CNS lymphoma in immunocompetent patients.

Purpose: Primary CNS lymphomas (PCNSL) are highly malignant non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma restricted to the CNS. While MRI features of PCNSL at initial presentation have been comprehensively described, literature on MRI-characteristics at relapse is sparse. The purpose of this study was to investigate anatomic location and contrast enhancement patterns at PCNSL recurrence by cranial MRI.

Neurologic complications after intrathecal liposomal cytarabine in combination with systemic polychemotherapy in primary CNS lymphoma.

Intrathecal application of liposomal cytarabine (Ara-C) (DepoCyte(®)) has been associated with neurotoxicity when applied as part of a polychemotherapy regimen. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma treated with high-dose systemic methotrexate (MTX)- and Ara-C-based polychemotherapy including six cycles of liposomal Ara-C (50 mg intrathecally every 3 weeks) were prospectively monitored for neurotoxic side-effects. Between November 2005 and February 2009, 149 intrathecal applications of liposomal cytarabine (DepoCyte(®)) were carried out in 33 patients, 7 (21%) of whom developed an incomplete conus medullaris/cauda equina syndrome with incontinence for bladder (6) and bowel function (3) or lumbosacral polyradicular paresis (1), resolving only incompletely over a follow-up period of 9-30 months.

Diagnosis of leptomeningeal disease in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas of the central nervous system by flow cytometry and cytopathology.

Reliable detection of leptomeningeal disease has the potential of facilitating the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and is important for therapeutic considerations. Currently, the standard diagnostic procedure for the detection of lymphoma in the cerebrospinal fluid is cytopathology. To improve the limited specificity and sensitivity of cytopathology, flow cytometry has been suggested as an alternative.

Detection of free immunoglobulin light chains in cerebrospinal fluids of patients with central nervous system lymphomas.

Diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma depends on histopathology of brain biopsies, because no reliable disease marker in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been identified yet. B-cell lymphomas such as CNS lymphomas are clonally restricted and express either kappa or lambda immunoglobulin light chains. The aim of this study was to find out a potential diagnostic value of free immunoglobulin light chains released into the CSF of CNS lymphoma patients.

Long-term survival with favorable cognitive outcome after chemotherapy in primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Objective: To evaluate long-term progression-free survival and overall survival, quality of life, and cognitive function in primary central nervous system lymphoma after systemic and intraventricular chemotherapy without radiotherapy.

Methods: A long-term follow-up was conducted on surviving primary central nervous system lymphoma patients having been enrolled in a pilot/phase II trial between September 1995 and December 2001. Initially, 65 patients (median age, 62 years) had been treated with systemic and intraventricular chemotherapy without radiotherapy.

Early complete response during chemotherapy predicts favorable outcome in patients with primary CNS lymphoma.

In primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), 2 international prognostic scores have been developed to estimate the outcome according to certain "prognostic groups". However, these scores do not predict the individual course of a single patient under therapy. In this analysis, we addressed the question of whether early tumor remission in patients still under therapy, according to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria, helps to predict long-term outcome.

Early relapses in primary CNS lymphoma after response to polychemotherapy without intraventricular treatment: results of a phase II study.

Background: A systemic and intraventricular polychemotherapy regimen (the Bonn protocol) without radiotherapy resulted in durable responses in 75% of patients <60 years with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL), but was complicated by a high rate of Ommaya reservoir infections. Here, the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen without intraventricular treatment was evaluated in PCNSL.

Patients And Methods: From August 2003 to November 2005, 18 patients with PCNSL <60 years (median age, 53 years) were treated in a phase II trial with a high-dose methotrexate (MTX; cycles 1, 2, 4 and 5) and cytarabine (Ara-C; cycles 3 and 6) based systemic therapy including dexamethasone, vinca-alkaloids, ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide.

Association of genetic variants of methionine metabolism with methotrexate-induced CNS white matter changes in patients with primary CNS lymphoma.

Methotrexate (MTX) is an important anticancer drug and the most efficient chemotherapy component in primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). A typical side effect of intravenous high-dose MTX is the occurrence of confluent CNS white matter changes (WMC). Because MTX directly interferes with methionine metabolism, we analyzed the impact of genetic variants of methionine metabolism on the occurrence of WMC as a model of MTX toxicity.

Marked elevation in homocysteine and homocysteine sulfinic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of lymphoma patients receiving intensive treatment with methotrexate.

Objective: Interference of methotrexate (MTX) with the metabolism of homocysteine may contribute to MTX neurotoxicity. In this pilot study we measured the concentration of homocysteine and related metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma undergoing intensive treatment with MTX.

Material And Methods: CSF samples from lymphoma patients (n = 4) were drawn at the end of high-dose MTX infusions (3-5 g/m2/24 h, HDMTX) and one day after intraventricular injections of MTX (3 mg, ICVMTX) or cytarabine (30 mg) and analyzed for homocysteine, cysteine, sulfur-containing excitatory amino acids (cysteine sulfinic acid, cysteic acid, homocysteine sulfinic acid and homocysteic acid), S-adenosylmethionine, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and MTX.

Acute methotrexate-induced encephalopathy--causal relation to homozygous allelic state for MTR c.2756A>G (D919G)?

Methotrexate (MTX) is widely used in the treatment of hematological diseases. The typical side-effects of high-dose MTX chemotherapy on the CNS range from asymptomatic white matter changes to severe CNS demyelination. MTX neuro - toxicity has been described to be associated with homocysteine and folate levels as well as genetic variants affecting methionine metabolism.

Transcriptional profiling of the nuclear factor-kappaB pathway identifies a subgroup of primary lymphoma of the central nervous system with low BCL10 expression.

Recent studies point to a role of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB signaling in a subset of diffuse large B cell lymphomas. We have analyzed the expression of 21 genes encoding NF-kappaB family members, upstream modulators, and targets in 32 primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Compared with nonmalignant germinal center centroblasts, expression of BCL10, REL, IAP1, and TRAF1 was significantly lower in PCNSLs, whereas that of BAX, BCLXL, BCL2, MALT1, CARD9, CARD10, CARD11, CARD14, CCND2, cFLIP, RELA, RELB, NFKB1, NFKB2, and IRF4 was higher.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma.

There is no class I evidence for any therapeutic option in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). When possible, patients should be included in clinical trials. The role of surgery is restricted to stereotactic biopsy in order to gain material for histopathologic diagnosis.

International study on low-grade primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical presentation, course, and outcome of low-grade primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Methods: Cases were assessed in a retrospective series collected from 18 cancer centers in 5 countries.

Results: Forty patients (18 men, 22 women; median age, 60 years [range, 19-78]) were identified.

FDG-PET in immunocompetent patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma: correlation with MRI and clinical follow-up.

Purpose: The role of FDG-PET in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is unclear. It was the aim of this study to investigate the role of FDG-PET in detecting PCNSL and in predicting response to chemotherapy.

Methods: An FDG-PET scan of the brain was performed in 15 patients with histologically proven PCNSL (16 PET examinations, Siemens ECAT EXACT).