[Neurologic complications in malignant lymphoma]

For a five year period 235 patients with a malignant lymphoma were studied in clinical conditions. In 20 of them (8.9%) the central nervous system was affected: 13 patients showed signs of spinal cord compression, 5 patients were with meningosis and 2 patients had cerebral infiltrations. The meningeal affection was found in patients presenting certain risk factors: young age, packages of lymph nodes localized retroperitoneally, lymphomas with a high degree of malignancy, extranodal localization. The patients with meningosis have a short longevity which implies meningeal prophylaxis in the risk groups. The spinal cord compression as a complication of the lymphoma does not determine the prognosis. The prognosis is related to the spread of the lymphoma. The knowledge of the early manifestations of these complications and the timely treatment lead to a favourable result. A very good therapeutic result can be achieved by the combined treatment--polychemotherapy and intrathecal administration of a cytostatic (cyclophosphamide and/or methotrexate).