PRIMARY T-CELL LYMPHOMA OF THE BRAIN IN CHILDREN: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Described here are the clinical features and results of treatment in a 10-year-old Saudi Arabian girl with primary T-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system. At presentation the patient had nystagmus and ataxia. The diagnosis was established by tissue biopsy obtained from the cerebellum. Therapy included cranio-spinal irradiation and combination chemotherapy of a systemic high dose of methotrexate, cytosine, arabinoside, and L-asparaginase. Remission was obtained easily but was interrupted by a local intracranial relapse 57 months after diagnosis (37 months after cessation of therapy; at present the patient is still alive and receiving palliative treatment). This report is warranted because of the rarity of this condition in children.