[Meningeal carcinomatosis in solid tumors]

Meningeal carcinomatosis (MC) originating from non-haematological tumours is a late event in the course of a malignant disease. MC must be suspected in patients with disperse neurological symptoms from at least two of the following three parts of the central nervous system: the brain, the cranial nerves, and the spinal cord, and if a discrepancy between symptoms and objective findings is found. A suspicion of MC must be confirmed by lumbar puncture and/or MR with Gadolinium in patients where a confirmation of MC will lead to active therapy. Therapy depends on tumour type, performance status of the patient, and present status of the malignant disease. Patients with good performance status and with a chemo-sensitive tumour are offered a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Median survival is one to three months and active therapy does not prolong survival with certainty. Therefore, therapy primarily aims at an improvement of quality of life for the patient.