Immunodeficiency-associated primary CNS lymphomas: an International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group study

L Leon D. Kaulen (1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany) L Lakshmi Nayak (4Department of Medical Oncology, Center for Neuro Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA) P Philipp Karschnia I Imke Kraai (6Department of Hematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands) D Daniela Galluzzo (7Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT) F Fleur A. de Groot (8Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands) M Matthew Witterholt (9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD) L Laura Donovan (10Department of Neuro-Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY) S Sita Bhella L Luis P. Kuschel (12Department of Neurosurgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) C Christopher P. Fox (13Department of Haematology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom) S Sabine Seidel (14Department of Neurology, Knappschaft Kliniken University Hospital Bochum, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany) J James Paterson (BP Innovation & Engineering) B Benjamin Richter (16Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim Center for Translation Neuroscience, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany) K Karan S. Dixit (18Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago, IL) T Thomas Zeyen J Juan Pablo Alderuccio (20Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL) S Silvia Montoto (21Department of Haemato-Oncology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom) O Outi Kuittinen (22Faculty of Health Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine Oncology, Kuopio University Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland) B Benjamin-Leon Traub (1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany) S Sofia Doubrovinskaia (1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany) H Hannah Rohdjess K Katharina J. Müller (23Department of Neurology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) R Roelien Enting (24Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands) J Jeroen de Bresser H Hanne Kuitunen (26Department of Oncology, Cancer Centre, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland) F Fabio M. Iwamoto (10Department of Neuro-Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY) A Alvaro Alencar (20Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL) U Ulrich Herrlinger M Michael Platten K Kate Cwynarski (15Department of Haematology, University College London, London, United Kingdom) J Joe Mendez (27Department of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT) P Patrick Roth L Louisa von Baumgarten (12Department of Neurosurgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany) A Anca Prica (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto) G Govind Bhagat K Kathryn Lurain (9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD) D David Schiff (31Department of Neurology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA) J Joost S. P. Vermaat (8Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands) J Joachim M. Baehring (7Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT) M Marcel Nijland J Jorg Dietrich (3Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA) T Tracy T. Batchelor W Wolfgang Wick

Abstract

Abstract Immunodeficiency-associated primary central nervous system lymphoma (ID-PCNSL) represents a clinicopathologically distinct PCNSL subtype, for which large studies and prognostic models are lacking. To address this gap, the International PCNSL Collaborative Group conducted a retrospective multicenter study, integrating clinical, radiological, and pathological data from 308 ID-PCNSL cases, diagnosed at 23 participating sites in 7 countries. Preexisting immunodeficiency included administration of immunosuppressants for transplantation (41.2%) or autoimmunity (36.7%) and HIV infection (21.7%). All tumors were diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) detected in 79.2%. Immune reconstitution together with rituximab and methotrexate–based chemotherapy was associated with the highest response rates and prolonged progression-free survival, irrespective of immunodeficiency subtype and EBV status. Survival outcomes were highly variable, with a 54-month median overall survival. Multivariable Cox regression identified age (per year increment; hazard ratio [HR], 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.07); P< .001), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) <70 (HR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.67-5.87; P< .001), and EBV positivity (HR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.47-7.33; P = .004) as prognostic factors for overall survival. A prognostic score was developed based on the sum of these adverse variables (age >60 years, KPS <70, EBV positivity). Stratification by this score yielded median survival times of 135, 29, and 3 months in patients with up to 1, 2, and 3 unfavorable markers (P< .0001). It allowed improved prognostic stratification of ID-PCNSL as compared with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group models developed for immunocompetent PCNSL. Collectively, this large international cohort defines clinicobiological features of ID-PCNSL and introduces a prognostic system with potential to guide future management.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 148, Issue 1
Published July 02, 2026
Pages 58-70
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (44)

L

Leon D. Kaulen

1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

L

Lakshmi Nayak

4Department of Medical Oncology, Center for Neuro Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

P

Philipp Karschnia

I

Imke Kraai

6Department of Hematology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

D

Daniela Galluzzo

7Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

F

Fleur A. de Groot

8Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

M

Matthew Witterholt

9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

L

Laura Donovan

10Department of Neuro-Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY

S

Sita Bhella

L

Luis P. Kuschel

12Department of Neurosurgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

C

Christopher P. Fox

13Department of Haematology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

S

Sabine Seidel

14Department of Neurology, Knappschaft Kliniken University Hospital Bochum, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

J

James Paterson

BP Innovation & Engineering

B

Benjamin Richter

16Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim Center for Translation Neuroscience, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany

K

Karan S. Dixit

18Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

T

Thomas Zeyen

J

Juan Pablo Alderuccio

20Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL

S

Silvia Montoto

21Department of Haemato-Oncology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom

O

Outi Kuittinen

22Faculty of Health Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine Oncology, Kuopio University Hospital, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

B

Benjamin-Leon Traub

1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

S

Sofia Doubrovinskaia

1Department of Neurology and European Center for Neurooncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

H

Hannah Rohdjess

K

Katharina J. Müller

23Department of Neurology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

R

Roelien Enting

24Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

J

Jeroen de Bresser

H

Hanne Kuitunen

26Department of Oncology, Cancer Centre, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

F

Fabio M. Iwamoto

10Department of Neuro-Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY

A

Alvaro Alencar

20Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL

U

Ulrich Herrlinger

M

Michael Platten

K

Kate Cwynarski

15Department of Haematology, University College London, London, United Kingdom

J

Joe Mendez

27Department of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

P

Patrick Roth

L

Louisa von Baumgarten

12Department of Neurosurgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany

A

Anca Prica

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto

G

Govind Bhagat

K

Kathryn Lurain

9HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

D

David Schiff

31Department of Neurology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

J

Joost S. P. Vermaat

8Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

J

Joachim M. Baehring

7Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

M

Marcel Nijland

J

Jorg Dietrich

3Division of Neuro-Oncology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

T

Tracy T. Batchelor

W

Wolfgang Wick