Role of Systemic High-Dose Methotrexate and Combined Approaches in the Management of Vitreoretinal Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Single Center Experience 1990-2018
Authors: Castellino Alessia , Pulido Jose , Johnston Patrick , Ristow Kay M. , Bennani Nabila Nora , Inwards David J , Macon William R. , Micallef Ivana N , King Rebecca L , Salomao Diva , Witzig Thomas E. , Habermann Thomas M. , Nowakowski Grzegorz 
Published: October 2019

Introduction. Vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare ocular malignancy. Diagnosis and optimal treatment remain a challenge for clinicians. We present clinical characteristics and outcome of a cohort of 69 patients affected by vitreoretinal diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL) lymphoma treated at Mayo Clinic over a 28-year period.

Methods. We accessed the Mayo Clinic Lymphoma Data Base to identify all patients > 18 years old with VRL diagnosed between 01/01/1990 and 01/31/2018. Only patients with DLBCL, confirmed at pathological review, were included. Clinical characteristics, therapies, response, relapse patterns and follow up status were collected and analyzed in the cohort and in the different subgroups: primary (PVRL, localized only in eye at diagnosis) vs concurrent (CVRL) vs secondary VRL (SVRL). Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and Wilcoxon's signed-rank test were used for analysis. Failure-free survival (FFS), overall survival (OS), central nervous system (CNS) and eye relapse-free survival were analyzed according to Kaplan Meier method. Differences between subgroups were compared with log-rank test. Since the group of SVRL can be affected by a survivorship selection bias, it was investigated separately for the outcome analysis.

Results. A total of 69 patients with vitreoretinal DLBCL were included. At diagnosis, 33 (48%) were PVRL, 18 (26%) CVRL (eye plus CNS (N=17) or systemic (N=1) disease) and 18 (26%) had SVRL (9 primary CNS lymphomas, 9 systemic at diagnosis, among which 4 were primary testicular lymphomas). Unilateral intraocular involvement was observed in 16 (23%) cases. Clinical characteristics are reported in Table I.

At diagnosis, patients received a systemic treatment in 35 (50%, including high-dose systemic MTX (HD-MTX, N 14, 20%), MTR (HD-MTX, Temozolomide and Rituximab) (N 7, 10%) and CHOP (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine and Prednisone) with or without Rituximab (N 10, 15%)), combined systemic plus intraocular treatment in 15 (22%), local radiotherapy in 10 (14%) and intraocular therapy (intraocular injections of rituximab or MTX or steroids or a combination of these) in 9 (13%) cases. Systemic Rituximab, autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and therapeutic vitrectomy/enucleation were performed in 36 (53%), 20 (29%) and 5 (7%) patients, respectively. The median number of treatments was 2 (range 0-10). Among PVRL and CVRL (N=51), median FFS, CNS relapse-free survival, eye relapse-free survival and OS were: 1.8 y, 4.9 y, 3.8 y and 4.1 y, respectively (Fig 1). Among PVRL they were: 2.6 y, not reached (NR), 5.2 y and 9.3 y, respectively. No CNS relapse occurred beyond 4 years in the PVRL subgroup. The median OS for patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1999, in contrast to 2000 and 2018 was 1.5 y vs 9.4 y respectively (p= 0.0002). OS was significantly higher in PVRL, as compared to CVRL (p= 0.04). Previous immunosuppression and poor performance status were predictive of worse outcome (p=0.04), while ASCT correlated with higher OS (p= 0.009). In PVRL, a combined systemic + intraocular therapy was associated with higher FFS (p=0.002) and CNS-relapse free survival (p= 0.003), but no difference in OS was observed. Among 18 SVRL, at a median follow-up of 1.1 y after vitreoretinal relapse, median FFS and OS were 0.3 y and 1.3 y, respectively. Systemic toxicities included 8 (11.6%) acute renal failures, 8 (11.6%) infections, and 3 (4.3%) hemorrhages. Intraocular toxicities included cataract in 11, vitreal detachment in 3 , ocular hypertension in 5, retinal vessel occlusion in 3 and keratitis in 2 cases. Of 69 patients, 39 (56.5%) died secondary to lymphoma (N=21, 53.8%), infectious toxicity (N=2, 5.2%), unrelated (N=3, 7.7%) or unknown (N=13, 33.3%) causes.

Conclusions. VR DLBCL is a rare disease, which can occur as primary, concurrent with systemic, or in relapsed disease. OS over the decades has significantly improved. In PVRL, no late CNS relapses were observed, while late intraocular relapses can occur. A combined approach with intraocular + systemic HD-MTX based treatment at diagnosis was associated with a higher FFS and CNS-relapse free survival in PVRL and is recommended in bilateral involvement, even though no differences in OS were observed. Treatment consolidation with ASCT can be considered in cases with concurrent systemic disease. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and to better define the role of new drugs in treatment of this uncommon malignancy.

Disclosures

Witzig: Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.