Brain Lymphoma Treatment and Surgery in New Jersey

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atients diagnosed with lymphoma in the brain often will require treatment for the best prognosis. At Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics (CNSO), the multi-specialty medical team provides non-surgical and surgical treatments for a range of brain, spine, and nerve conditions. CNSO is the most comprehensive brain and spine center in New Jersey and has the experience necessary to provide diagnosis and treatment for lymphoma in the brain. Learn more about brain lymphoma treatment from CNSO.

What Is Lymphoma in the Brain?

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells called lymphocytes. These lymphocytes travel throughout the body and are integral to the functioning and strength of the immune system. When lymphocyte cells become cancerous, they can begin to form a tumor. A lymphoma is a tumor of the lymphocyte. A lymphoma in the brain also can be called a central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma. There are two main types of CNS lymphoma:

• Primary CNS lymphoma: This type of lymphoma is a tumor that originates in nervous tissue such as the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
• Secondary CNS lymphoma: This type of tumor initially forms somewhere in the body other than the nervous system but then spreads to the nervous system.

Both types of CNS lymphomas are subtypes of high-grade non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma, which is rare and aggressive.

Signs and Symptoms of Lymphoma in the Brain

Because the brain controls various functions, movements, feelings, sensations, and behaviors, a tumor in the brain can cause symptoms that affect these functions, depending on where within the brain the tumor grows. Symptoms can change as the tumor grows and presses on surrounding structures. Some patients with lymphoma in the brain may experience fewer, milder symptoms, while others experience more frequent, severe symptoms. This will typically depend on the size and location of the tumor, as well as how fast it is growing. Symptoms of lymphoma in the brain can include:

• Confusion
• Headaches
• Personality or cognitive changes
• Loss of hearing
• Difficulty speaking
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Numbness, tingling, or pain
• Seizures

CNS lymphoma also can affect a patient’s vision, leading to problems like blurred vision. If CNS lymphoma spreads to the spinal cord, patients may experience back pain or weakness in the arms and legs or both.

Causes and Risk Factors of Lymphoma in the Brain

Although there is no clear cause of lymphoma of the brain, there are a few risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing this condition:

• Age: This type of tumor tends to be more common in men than in women.
• Gender: This type of tumor occurs more often among people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, with a median diagnosis age of 55.
• Compromised immune system: Having a compromised immune system due to HIV/AIDS, an organ transplant, previous cancer, etc. can increase a person’s risk of developing lymphoma in the brain.

If a patient has advanced lymphoma in another part of the body, they are also at a higher risk of developing secondary lymphoma in the brain.

Diagnosing Lymphoma in the Brain

To diagnose lymphoma in the brain, a range of diagnostic tests are used. These may include:

• Physical and neurological exam: The doctor will inspect the patient, check for symptoms, and assess mental status, coordination, reflexes, etc. to gain more insight into the patient’s condition.
• Imaging scans: Scans like MRIs are used to visualize the brain, identify possible tumors, and see their location and size.
• Biopsy: A biopsy involves removing a sample of the tumor to examine the tissue and see if it is cancerous, usually through a stereotactic method.
• Lumbar puncture: This procedure involves inserting a needle into the lower back to collect samples of fluid that bathes the spine and brain to see if any evidence of cancer is present there.
• Slit-lamp eye exam: If a patient has symptoms with their vision, this test using a special microscope with a bright, narrow slit of light may be used to check the outside and inside of the eye.

After brain lymphoma is diagnosed, it is often given a stage to indicate how large the tumor is and whether it has spread. The neurosurgeons at Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics often use multiple diagnostic tests to determine whether a patient has lymphoma of the brain or other tumor, then develop the best treatment plan.

Treatments for Lymphoma in the Brain

There is no standard treatment option for lymphoma of the brain. The best option for each patient will depend on factors such as age, other health conditions, HIV status, and stage of cancer. Treatment plans for lymphoma of the brain often will consist of one or more of the following options:

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy (chemo) often is an initial treatment option for patients with lymphoma in the brain, especially if recently diagnosed. It is a powerful drug treatment that helps kill cancer cells in the body to prevent cancer from spreading or growing larger. It is most often administered intravenously through an IV and may be given daily, weekly, or monthly. A specific type of chemotherapy drug often is used for lymphoma in the brain because it has a chemical structure that lets it permeate the blood-brain barrier.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is another treatment option for patients with lymphoma in the brain. This therapy uses strong energy beams to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. It is often used in combination with chemotherapy but can be used alone or with other treatments.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is a treatment option for some patients. This therapy uses medicines or substances like proteins and antibodies to target specific parts of cancer cells that help them grow and survive. For lymphoma in the brain, targeted therapy treatment often will include monoclonal antibodies that attach to specified targets on the cancer cells, causing them to die or shrink.

Steroid Therapy

Another possible treatment option for lymphoma in the brain and its tendency to cause swelling is steroid therapy, or the administration of corticosteroid medicines. These drugs can help reduce inflammation in the body, shrink cancer cells, and provide symptom relief. Steroid therapy also can help alleviate side effects of chemotherapy like nausea, vomiting, and pain.

Proton Therapy

A treatment option for patients with chemotherapy-resistant lymphoma tumors is proton therapy, which uses targeted high-dose radiation. Because it is extremely precise, this treatment is beneficial for treating tumors that are hard to reach or near sensitive structures.

Surgery, Clinical Trials, and Other Options

Lymphoma may require its removal via brain surgery. At CNSO, the neurosurgeons use minimally invasive techniques to minimize scarring and reduce recovery time.

Regarding clinical trials, depending on the type of lymphoma and location within the brain, some patients may benefit from participation in a clinical trial, a stem cell transplant, or even a combination surgery.

At Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics, neurosurgeons and other specialists collaborate to develop an appropriate treatment plan for each patient with lymphoma in the brain.

Recovery From Lymphoma in the Brain

Since lymphoma of the brain is a fast-growing and aggressive cancer, it can be challenging to treat. One challenge is the existence of the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from potentially hazardous chemicals and can limit the effectiveness of chemotherapy to enter the brain and begin shrinking the tumor. Another is that lymphoma tumors are often located deep inside the brain, making open brain tumor surgery difficult sometimes, but not impossible. These challenges can affect patients’ prognoses and recovery.

The five-year survival rate for people under 70 with CNS lymphoma is 30%, but this is a general number and doesn’t factor in other considerations that can affect survival. A patient’s survival rate will depend on several factors, like their age, overall health, HIV status, and the size and location of their tumor. Patients diagnosed with lymphoma in the brain should speak to their oncologist or neurosurgeon about treatment options and reoccurrence chances to understand their specific recovery outlook.

Why Choose Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics?

Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics is New Jersey’s most comprehensive brain and spine treatment center, treating a wide variety of conditions and diseases. The multi-specialty medical team at CNSO takes a conservative approach, working in conjunction with oncologists, radiologists, and other supportive specialists as their patient moves through medical and surgical treatment.

The comprehensive care team consists of board-certified neurosurgeons, reconstructive surgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons, pain management physicians, physiatrists, and physical therapists, carefully creating customized treatment plans for every patient. The compassionate doctors make sure to explain the possible treatment options and which method they believe would be most effective for the patient’s diagnosis. Along with high-quality medical care, patients at CNSO also benefit from:

• A medical team that is fluent in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Korean, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Mandarin Chinese, and Hebrew)
• Award-winning specialists who have been educated at the top institutions in the country
• Availability of both surgical and non-surgical treatment options
• State-of-the-art technology for inter-operative monitoring, stereotactic radiosurgery, minimally invasive brain surgery, etc.
• Office locations throughout northern New Jersey in Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, and Morris counties
• Telemedicine appointments available to increase accessibility and reduce downtime

From diagnosis to treatment, the team at CNSO is here to help patients with brain, spine, and nerve conditions get the care they need to feel better.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lymphoma in the Brain

How rare is lymphoma in the brain?

Lymphoma in the brain is rare, accounting for around 2 to 5 percent of all primary brain tumors. About 1,500 people in the United States are diagnosed with lymphoma in the brain each year.

How does lymphoma in the brain affect people with HIV/AIDS differently?

First, people with HIV or AIDS are more likely to develop lymphoma in the brain because of their immunocompromised bodies. Primary CNS lymphoma is 1,000 times more common in HIV-infected people than in the general population. Therefore, screening for lymphoma in the brain is recommended for people with HIV/AIDS.

Patients who have HIV/AIDs and are receiving treatment for lymphoma in the brain should continue their antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Can lymphoma in the brain be treated with open surgery?

A lymphoma in the brain is often treated with brain surgery to remove the tumor. The treatment also requires other medications to prevent the regrowth of the tumor.

How does a stem cell transplant work for treating lymphoma of the brain?

A stem cell transplant can be used to treat lymphoma of the brain in combination with chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy destroys blood-forming cells that are needed to fight cancer. A stem cell transplant replaces the damaged cells with healthy ones after high doses of chemo to allow the bone marrow to recover and blood cells to reproduce. These new blood cells can then create an immune response that will destroy the cancer.

When is treatment for lymphoma in the brain most effective?

Treatment of lymphoma in the brain is most effective when the tumor hasn’t spread outside the cerebrum, the patient is younger than 60, and the patient is not immunocompromised. However, every patient and case is different, and some people who don’t meet these parameters often experience successful treatment.

Find Brain Lymphoma Treatment at CNSO

Patients who have recently been diagnosed with lymphoma in the brain should get prompt treatment for the best prognosis. By having lymphoma treatment from the best brain surgeons like those at Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics, patients receive the highest quality care and compassion. The multi-specialty neurosurgical team at CNSO is well-versed in treating brain lymphoma and other types of brain tumors at multiple office locations across northern New Jersey. For more information about lymphoma treatment options available, contact CNSO today.