Neoplastic meningitis

Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a common problem in neuro-oncology, occurring in approximately 5% of all patients with cancer. Notwithstanding frequent focal signs and symptoms, NM is a disease that affects the entire neuraxis; therefore, staging and treatment need to encompass all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartments. Central nervous system (CNS) staging of NM includes contrast-enhanced cranial computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, contrast-enhanced spine magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomographic myelography, and radionuclide CSF flow study. Treatment of NM involves involved-field radiotherapy of bulky or symptomatic disease sites and intra-CSF drug therapy. The inclusion of concomitant systemic therapy may benefit patients with NM and may obviate the need for intra-CSF chemotherapy. At present, intra-CSF drug therapy is confined to three chemotherapeutic agents (ie, methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside, and thio-triethylene thiophosphoramide) administered by a variety of schedules either by intralumbar or intraventricular drug delivery. Although treatment of NM is palliative with an expected median patient survival of 2 to 6 months, it often affords stabilization and protection from further neurologic deterioration in patients with NM.