Treatment-related outcomes and patterns of relapse in secondary CNS involvement by large B-cell lymphoma

J Juan Pablo Alderuccio (20Department of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL) D Diva Baggio (2Department of Haematology, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom) S Sunwoo Han P Paola Ghione (4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) I Imran Nizamuddin (5Division of Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO) J Jahanzaib Khwaja (2Department of Haematology, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom) A Aditi Saha (6Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL) N Ning Dong Y Yucai Wang (State Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine) H Hua-Jay J. Cherng (8Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY) S Seda Tolu (8Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY) N Nina Wagner-Johnston (9The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD) T Thomas A. Ollila (6Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI) N Natalie Grover (11Division of Hematology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC) J Jean L. Koff (Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine) A Amrita Desai (13Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Oregon University, Portland, OR) P Praveen Ramakrishnan Geethakumari (14Division of Hematology and Oncology, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX) T Tamara K. Moyo (15Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC) J Jose Sandoval-Sus (16Moffitt Malignant Hematology at Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines, FL) N Narendranath Epperla (University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States) D Danielle S. Wallace (18Division of Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY) M Manali Kamdar R Rita Tavarozzi (4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) A Alexey Danilov (20City of Hope, Duarte, CA) H Han Tun (21Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL) J Javier Muñoz M Mayur Narkhede (23University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL) J Joanna M. Rhodes (24Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ) A Anca Prica (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto) A Andrea Kuhnl (26King's College Hospital London, London, United Kingdom) A Adrian Maraj (27St James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland) J Jessica Okosun (28Department of Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK) J Jeffery Smith (29Clatterbridge Cancer Center, Liverpool, United Kingdom) W Wendy Osborne (30Department of Haematology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom) V Victoria Calvert (30Department of Haematology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom) D Dima El-Sharkawi (14Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom) A Ammar Hilali (31Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom) G Graham P. Collins (32Department of Clinical Haematology, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom) K Kim Linton (33Manchester Cancer Research Center, Manchester, United Kingdom) N Nagah Elmusharaf (34Department of Haematology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom) A Anna Santarsieri (35Department of Haematology, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom) F Farheen Karim (36The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom) F Firas Baidoun (21Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL) S Sarah E. Monick (22Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, FL) I Iris Margalit Trutzer (9The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD) J Jones Can (16Moffitt Malignant Hematology at Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines, FL) A Amy Ayers (Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine) J Jacopo Calabrese De Feo (4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) J John Sharp (17Division of Hematology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH) N Nilanjan Ghosh (5Levine Cancer Institute/Advocate Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC) R Rachel Treitman (19Division of Hematology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO) A Avyakta Kallam (10Duarte Cancer Center, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA) I Izel Okcu (7Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN) C Chathuri Abeyakoon (25Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, Canada) W William Hann (28Department of Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK) A Aisling Barrett (32Department of Clinical Haematology, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom) V Vismay Deshani (37Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom) B Brad S. Kahl (30Division of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO) J Julio C. Chavez (4Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL) A Adam J. Olszewski (10Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI) K Kate Cwynarski (15Department of Haematology, University College London, London, United Kingdom)

Abstract

Abstract Secondary central nervous system (CNS) large B-cell lymphoma (SCNSL) occurs in the de novo setting, as a CNS-isolated relapse, or synchronous (concomitant CNS and systemic) relapse. SCNSL is a devastating event without therapeutic consensus. Thus, we aimed to evaluate treatment outcomes in an international cohort. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR, estimated using competing-risk models) were reported. Prognostic factors were identified in a 6-month landmark multivariate analysis. Outcomes after thiotepa autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy (CAR-T) delivered at relapse were compared after propensity score matching (PSM). A total of 1139 patients were included in the analysis (de novo: 537; relapsed SCNSL: 602). Two-year PFS estimates were 40.4%, 43.9%, and 16.2% for de novo SCNSL, CNS-isolated relapse, and synchronous relapse, respectively. Patients with CNS-isolated relapse demonstrated low rates of systemic recurrence (24-month CIR, 6%). Thiotepa-ASCT correlated with longer survival in de novo SCNSL (PFS: hazard ratio [HR], 0.57; P = .005; and OS: HR, 0.62; P = .023) and CNS-isolated relapses (PFS: HR, 0.55; P = .002; and OS: HR, 0.39; P< .0001). ASCT (thiotepa or no thiotepa) also associated with improved survival in synchronous relapses (PFS: HR, 0.57; P = .023; and OS: HR, 0.48; P = .019). Higher survival with thiotepa-ASCT than CAR-T was observed after PSM (PFS: HR, 0.45; P = .005 and OS: HR, 0.41; P = .014). These data support thiotepa-ASCT in eligible patients, particularly de novo disease and CNS-isolated relapses. CNS-isolated relapse was infrequently associated with systemic recurrence, supporting treatment regimens adopted from primary CNS lymphoma.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 147, Issue 16
Published April 16, 2026
Pages 1814-1827
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (61)

J

Juan Pablo Alderuccio

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

D

Diva Baggio

2Department of Haematology, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom

S

Sunwoo Han

P

Paola Ghione

4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

I

Imran Nizamuddin

5Division of Oncology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

J

Jahanzaib Khwaja

2Department of Haematology, University College London Hospital, London, United Kingdom

A

Aditi Saha

6Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

N

Ning Dong

Y

Yucai Wang

State Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine

H

Hua-Jay J. Cherng

8Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY

S

Seda Tolu

8Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY

N

Nina Wagner-Johnston

9The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD

T

Thomas A. Ollila

6Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI

N

Natalie Grover

11Division of Hematology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

J

Jean L. Koff

Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine

A

Amrita Desai

13Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Oregon University, Portland, OR

P

Praveen Ramakrishnan Geethakumari

14Division of Hematology and Oncology, UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX

T

Tamara K. Moyo

15Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC

J

Jose Sandoval-Sus

16Moffitt Malignant Hematology at Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines, FL

N

Narendranath Epperla

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

D

Danielle S. Wallace

18Division of Hematology/Oncology, Wilmot Cancer Institute University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

M

Manali Kamdar

R

Rita Tavarozzi

4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

A

Alexey Danilov

20City of Hope, Duarte, CA

H

Han Tun

21Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL

J

Javier Muñoz

M

Mayur Narkhede

23University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL

J

Joanna M. Rhodes

24Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

A

Anca Prica

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto

A

Andrea Kuhnl

26King's College Hospital London, London, United Kingdom

A

Adrian Maraj

27St James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

J

Jessica Okosun

28Department of Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

J

Jeffery Smith

29Clatterbridge Cancer Center, Liverpool, United Kingdom

W

Wendy Osborne

30Department of Haematology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom

V

Victoria Calvert

30Department of Haematology, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom

D

Dima El-Sharkawi

14Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom

A

Ammar Hilali

31Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Sutton, United Kingdom

G

Graham P. Collins

32Department of Clinical Haematology, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom

K

Kim Linton

33Manchester Cancer Research Center, Manchester, United Kingdom

N

Nagah Elmusharaf

34Department of Haematology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom

A

Anna Santarsieri

35Department of Haematology, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, United Kingdom

F

Farheen Karim

36The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

F

Firas Baidoun

21Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL

S

Sarah E. Monick

22Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, FL

I

Iris Margalit Trutzer

9The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD

J

Jones Can

16Moffitt Malignant Hematology at Memorial Healthcare System, Pembroke Pines, FL

A

Amy Ayers

Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine

J

Jacopo Calabrese De Feo

4Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

J

John Sharp

17Division of Hematology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

N

Nilanjan Ghosh

5Levine Cancer Institute/Advocate Health, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC

R

Rachel Treitman

19Division of Hematology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO

A

Avyakta Kallam

10Duarte Cancer Center, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, CA

I

Izel Okcu

7Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, MN

C

Chathuri Abeyakoon

25Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto, Canada

W

William Hann

28Department of Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

A

Aisling Barrett

32Department of Clinical Haematology, Oxford University Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom

V

Vismay Deshani

37Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom

B

Brad S. Kahl

30Division of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

J

Julio C. Chavez

4Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

A

Adam J. Olszewski

10Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI

K

Kate Cwynarski

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