Primary central nervous system lymphoma with systemic metastasis: case report and review

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) almost always remains confined to the nervous system. We report a patient with well documented PCNSL who responded to treatment, but subsequently developed pathologically confirmed systemic metastases without repeated local failure 35 months after initial diagnosis. In a review of the world's literature we identified 5 other cases of PCNSL with histologically confirmed antemortem systemic metastases and a total of 62 cases of central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma in some way associated with extraneural lymphoma. These cases are classified and discussed. Clinicians caring for PCNSL patients must remain alert to the possibility of systemic metastasis, especially as local control of PCNSL improves.