R-IDARAM treatment in central nervous system lymphomas: A single-center experience and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Central nervous system lymphomas (CNSLs) require effective treatment strategies due to aggressive nature of disease. Despite therapeutic approaches having improved in the last decades, there is no standard treatment for these patients. As a CNSL targeted-therapy IDARAM protocol was developed, the outcomes were reported with a few studies. We observed the R-IDARAM protocol in our CNSL cases, and we discuss the effectiveness, tolerability, and toxicity with a review of the literature in this article. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed response rates, progression-free survival, adverse events, and long-term side effects in patients who were treated by modified R-IDARAM as standard clinical care of CNSL in our hematology department. RESULTS: Response was achieved in five of nine patients. Three patients (two primary CNSL and one secondary CNSL) are still being followed up without disease progression with a median duration of follow-up of 79 months (88, 79, and 17 months, respectively). Manageable hematological side effects including thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were experienced by all patients. CONCLUSION: R-IDARAM protocol may be an option with high early response rates and manageable toxicity. Hematological side effects are the main problem, and long-term neurological toxicity is not common. Eligible patients must continue with autologous stem cell transplantation due to poor long-term survival outcomes.