Table 1

Bonn chemotherapy protocol for primary CNS lymphoma

Course A Day 1 Day 2 Day3 Day 4 Day 5
Methotrexate iv (5 g/m2)1-150 +
Vincristine iv (2 mg)+
Ifosfamide iv (800 mg/m2)1-151 ++++
Dexamethasone po (10 mg/m2)++++
Prednisolone icv (2.5 mg)++++
Methotrexate icv (3 mg)++++
Ara-C icv (30 mg)+
Course B Day 1 Day 2 Day3 Day 4 Day 5
Methotrexate iv (5 g/m2)1-150 +
Vincristine iv (2 mg)+
Cyclophosphamide iv (200 mg/m2)1-151 ++++
Dexamethasone po (10 mg/m2)++++
Prednisolone icv (2.5 mg)++++
Methotrexate icv (3 mg)++++
Ara-C icv (30 mg)+
Course C Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Ara-C iv (3 g/m2)1-152 ++
Vindesine iv (5 mg)+
Dexamethasone po (20 mg/m2)+++++
Prednisolone icv (2.5 mg)++++
Methotrexate icv (3 mg)++++
Ara-C icv (30 mg)+

  • Sequence of courses: A1 (days 1–5), B1 (days 22–26), C1 (days 43–49); A2 (days 64–68), B2 (days 85–89), C2 (days 106–112). Cycles A to C (A1 to C1) are repeated once (A2 to C2).

  • ↵1-150 0.5 g/m2 infusion over 30 minutes and 4.5 g/m2infusion over 23.5 hours.

  • ↵1-151 1 hour infusion.

  • ↵1-152 3 hour infusion.

  • iv=Intravenous; po=oral; icv=intraventricular.

  • The protocol is modified in a current phase II study:

  • (no intraventricular therapy at day 1 of cycles A1, B1, A2, B2; systemic MTX reduced to 3 g/m2 in patients >64 y)