Meningeal carcinomatosis from breast cancer: spinal cord vs. brain involvement

Twenty-two patients with meningeal carcinoma due to breast cancer were retrospectively evaluated to determine what prognostic factors affected survival. Five patients survived for more than one year. The therapy in these long-term survivors was similar to that of those suffering early death. Patients with primarily brain symptoms survived a median of 21 days vs. 150 days in those with primarily spinal cord symptoms (p = 0.026). The site of involvement may be an important stratification parameter for future prospective trials.