OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic efficacy of rituximab combined with methotrexate on patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

METHODSFifty eight patients with central nervous system lymphoma treated in our hospital from February 2008 to September 2011 years were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group. The control group was treated with methotrexate combined with whole brain radiotherapy; the observation group was treated by rituximab combined with methotrexate. The curative efficacy, adverse effects, life quality, and the 1 and 3 year survival rate after 2 cycles of treatment were compared between 2 groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of observation group was 82.76%, which significantly higher than 58.62% of the control group (P < 0.05). In observation group, the incidences of anemia, liver damage, gastrointestinal side effect and oral ulcer were significantly lower than that in control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The physiological function, physical function, health status, social and emotional function in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), 1 and 3 years survival rates in the observation group were 86.21% and 62.07%, significantly higher than 58.62% and 31.03% in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONTargeted therapy combined with chemotherapy for the primary central nervous system lymphoma can improve the patients' outcomes, reduce adverse effects, and improve the quality of life and survival rate.