Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Leptomeningeal metastasis.

Lisa M DeAngelis1, Dina Boutros

  • 1Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. deangell@mskcc.org

Cancer Investigation
|April 9, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Classification and Management of Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Active Cancer: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Stroke·2026
Same author

Ibrutinib in combination with rituximab, methotrexate, vincristine, and procarbazine for newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma.

Neuro-oncology·2026
Same author

Multicenter randomized phase II study of R-MPV-A chemoimmunotherapy with or without low-dose whole-brain radiotherapy for newly-diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma.

Neuro-oncology·2025
Same author

Prospective characterization of germline variants in patients with gliomas and glioneuronal tumors.

Acta neuropathologica·2025
Same author

Multicenter basket trial for central nervous system tumors identifies activity of the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib in recurrent meningioma.

Neuro-oncology·2025
Same author

Phase Ib study with expansion of ibrutinib, lenalidomide, and rituximab in patients with relapsed/refractory central nervous system lymphoma.

Neuro-oncology·2025

Leptomeningeal metastasis, a common cancer complication, requires early diagnosis and treatment to prevent neurological damage. Aggressive therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, offer hope, but survival remains limited.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Medical Oncology

Background:

  • Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a frequent and challenging complication of advanced cancer.
  • Diagnosis can be difficult, but prompt identification and treatment are crucial for preserving neurological function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for leptomeningeal metastasis.
  • To highlight the evolving role of systemic chemotherapy in managing LM.

Main Methods:

  • Review of diagnostic modalities including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology and neuroimaging (MRI).
  • Discussion of treatment options: focal radiotherapy, intra-CSF chemotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy.
  • Emphasis on the importance of assessing neurologic extent of disease for optimal therapy selection.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Diagnosis relies on CSF cytology or MRI findings of enhancing tumor nodules.
  • Intrathecal chemotherapy is effective mainly for hematologic malignancies and breast cancer.
  • Systemic chemotherapy shows increasing efficacy, particularly for bulky disease, due to better penetration.

Conclusions:

  • Optimal treatment for leptomeningeal metastasis depends on disease extent and type.
  • Systemic chemotherapy is a valuable option for bulky disease, while intrathecal chemotherapy may be used for positive cytology with negative imaging.
  • Despite advances, median survival for leptomeningeal metastasis is approximately four months, though some patients achieve long-term survival.