Liposomal cytarabine (DepoCyte) for the treatment of neoplastic meningitis

Neoplastic meningitis is a feared complication in cancer patients, the median survival ranging from some weeks to a few months. Management is palliative and aims to provide symptoms relief while delaying neurological deterioration. Intrathecal methotrexate and/or cytarabine is the most widely used treatment in such clinical situations. These drugs are administered 2 or 3 times a week--a circumstance that is both bothersome for the patient and time-costly for the medical personnel. Liposomal cytarabine is a sustained-release cytarabine formulation specifically developed for the treatment of neoplastic meningitis. Its administration on a twice-weekly basis ensures sustained cytotoxic drug concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid. Controlled clinical trials have shown liposomal cytarabine to be equally or more effective than the classical treatment for neoplastic meningitis. In lymphomatous meningitis, liposomal cytarabine offers superior response rates, improved patient quality of life, and a prolongation of the time to neurological progression. When the cause of meningitis is a solid tumor, liposomal cytarabine prolongs the time to neurological progression and improves quality of life. These observations indicate that DepoCyte is a convenient treatment for patients with neoplastic meningitis, due to its efficacy and easy of administration characteristics.