Distinguishing clinical and imaging characteristics of primary central nervous system lymphoma from high-grade glioma and metastatic brain tumors

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the clinical presentations, radiological characteristics, patient outcomes, and therapeutic approaches among individuals diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), high-grade glioma (HGG), and metastatic brain tumors (METS).

Methods: We assembled a cohort of brain tumor patients from two medical centers, with two oncologists independently reviewing their clinical profiles. A retrospective examination of 87 PCNSL, 87 HGG, and 71 METS cases was performed to assess the aforementioned parameters.

Results: Notable variations were identified in the incidence of epileptic seizures and cognitive impairments between PCNSL and METS patients. Cerebral hemisphere involvement was predominantly observed in HGG and METS cases. PCNSL cases exhibited a higher likelihood of multiple lesions, whereas HGG showed a greater tendency for recurrence. The median survival times were established at 24.3 months for PCNSL, 44.5 months for HGG, and 27.1 months for METS patients. In PCNSL cases, the number of lesions was identified as a significant predictor of mortality (P = 0.008).

Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of clinical and imaging features in diagnosing PCNSL, which may present distinct features compared to HGG and METS.