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Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Neisseria meningitidis Infection of Induced Pluripotent Stem-Cell Derived Brain Endothelial Cells
Published on: July 14, 2020
Neoplastic meningitis
1Department of Neurology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109-1023, USA. chambemc@u.washington.edu
Background:
Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a common problem in neuro-oncology, occurring in approximately 5% of all patients with cancer.
Methods:
Notwithstanding frequent focal signs and symptoms, NM is a disease affecting the entire neuraxis, and therefore staging and treatment need encompass all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartments.
Results:
Central nervous system staging of NM includes contrast-enhanced cranial computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MR-Gd), contrast-enhanced spine magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomographic myelography and radionuclide CSF flow study. Treatment of NM incorporates 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 (i.e., methotrexate, cytosine, arabinoside, and thio-TEPA) administered by a variety of schedules either by intralumbar or intraventricular drug delivery.
Conclusions:
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.
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