Table 1.
Characteristics of AIDS patients with PCNSL in Norway during 1989–2003 (n = 29).
| n % | |
| Gender | |
| Female | 3 (10) |
| Male | 26 (90) |
| Supposed mode of transmission | |
| Homosexual | 17 (59) |
| Heterosexual | 8 (28) |
| Drug addict | 2 (7) |
| Unknown | 2 (7) |
| Duration of HIV-infection prior to AIDS: mean; median (range) months | 38.6; 32.0 (0–118) |
| AIDS-defining disease | |
| Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia | 16 (55) |
| PCNSL | 6 (21) |
| Tuberculosis | 1 (3) |
| Cytomegalovirus infection | 1 (3) |
| Kaposis sarcoma | 2 (7) |
| Candida esophagitis | 3 (10) |
| Duration of AIDS prior to PCNSL: mean; median (range) months | 19.1; 15.0 (0–81) |
| Age at diagnosis of PCNSL: mean; median (range) years | 39.0; 37.9 (24–54) |
| Symptoms on admission | |
| Focal neurological | 11 (38) |
| Personality change | 14 (48) |
| Cerebellar symptoms/vertigo | 10 (35) |
| Headache | 10 (35) |
| Visual disturbance | 6 (21) |
| Epilepsy | 8 (28) |
| Performance status on admission | |
| WHO PS 0–1 | 8 (28) |
| WHO PS 2–4 | 21 (72) |
| CD4 lymphocyte count (cells/μL): mean; median (range) (n = 24)a | 26.6; 10.0 (0–190) |
| Lesions on CT/MR according to imaging report | |
| No focal lesion | 4 (14) |
| Single | 8 (28) |
| Multiple | 17 (59) |
| Lesions on CT/MR at review (in 14 patients) | |
| Mean; median (range) number of lesions per patient | 2.6; 2.0 (0–7) |
| Supratentorial involvement | 14 (100) |
| Lobes | 11 (79) |
| Deep structures | 8 (57) |
| Posterior fossa involvement | 2 (14) |
| Mean; median (range) size (diameter in mm) of lesions (n = 37) | 24.2; 23.0 (6–55) |
| Treatment received | |
| Steroid medication | 11 (38) |
| Radiotherapyb | 2 (7) |
| HAART | 4 (14) |
| Toxoplasma therapyc | 20 (69) |
PCNSL = primary central nervous system lymphoma; WHO PS = World Health Organization performance status; CT = computed tomography; MRI = magnetic resonance imaging; HAART = highly active antiretroviral therapy.
aCD4 lymphocyte count at time of first symptom attributable to PCNSL.
bWhole brain radiation was given to 2 patients diagnosed with PCNSL while alive (24 Gy in 8 fractions to one patient and 30 Gy in 10 fractions to one).
cOnly 2 patients had favourable clinical and radiological response.