Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39917755›Full record

ArticleNeuro-oncology practice2025

Efficacy and safety of first-line high-dose cytarabine in patients with primary CNS lymphoma ineligible for high-dose methotrexate: A case series.

Vanja Zeremski, Tobias Ronny Haage, Dimitrios Mougiakakos

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Neuro-oncology practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Vanja ZeremskiDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5254-9885
Tobias Ronny HaageDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
Dimitrios MougiakakosDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, and Cell Therapy, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Despite recent significant advances, the treatment of elderly patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is still challenging due to comorbidities, poor baseline performance status (PS), and drug toxicities. There are proposals to use high-dose cytarabine (HD-araC) in these patients. Methods: Our retrospective study aimed to assess the efficacy and toxicity of HD-araC as an upfront treatment for patients with PCNSL who are ineligible for high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX). Results: We identified 12 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL (out of a total of 68) who received first-line treatment with HD-araC, with or without rituximab (R). Most of them had poor PS and relevant comorbidities. Six patients received this treatment upfront, while the other six received it after discontinuing HD-MTX-(based) therapy. Treatment with HD-araC resulted in poor outcome, limited response, and severe hematological and infectious complications. Patients who had previously received at least one cycle of HD-MTX appeared to have slightly better outcomes, highlighting the importance of HD-MTX in the treatment of PCNSL. Conclusion: Our case series showed limited efficacy and substantial toxicity of (R)-HD-araC in patients with PCNSL ineligible for HD-MTX. This treatment should be omitted in elderly/frail patients to avoid further compromising their quality of life.

Indexed as

cytarabineNon-Hodgkin lymphomaprimary central nervous system lymphoma

Identifiers

PMID39917755
PMCPMC11798599

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.