791 CNS involvement in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)

Twenty-seven cases of CNS involvement were found among 498 consecutive patients with NHL. Only 3 of 96 patients with low grade lymphomas (Working formulation) had CNS involvement, in all 3 cases occurring after transformation into high grade lymphoma. In univariate analysis of 402 patients with intermediate or high grade lymphoma lymphoblastic histology (LB), age P  = 0.65). Sex, extranodal disease and LDH >400 U were insignificant. In multivariate analysis only LB, Stage IV disease and B-symptoms were significant. It is concluded that other risk factors such as young age and BM involvement are connected with LB histology and do not constitute true independent risk factors.