Irreversible Intrathecal Chemotherapy-induced Myelopathy in a Patient with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma

Intrathecal chemotherapy is often administered for prophylaxis and treatment of central nervous system involvement in hematological malignancies. However, it may rarely cause neurotoxicity as a side effect. We herein report a 74-year-old woman with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma including a spinal lesion. She received systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy. After five doses of intrathecal chemotherapy, she developed intrathecal chemotherapy-induced myelopathy. Intrathecal treatment was discontinued, and she was administered vitamin B12 and folic acid, along with steroid pulses. However, her symptoms did not improve. Intrathecal chemotherapy-induced myelopathy is rare, but may be irreversible; therefore, clinicians should be aware of this potential complication.