Cancer Treatment and Research, 2005, Volume 125, 31-52, DOI: 10.1007/0-387-24199-X_3

Leptomeningeal Metastases from Solid Tumors (Meningeal Carcinomatosis)

Michiko Kimura Bruno and Jeffrey Raizer

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Abstract

Leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are increasingly recognized as a devastating complication of solid tumors. Improved treatment of primary malignancy and advances in diagnostic imaging have led to an apparent increase in the number of patients diagnosed with LM. Unfortunately, therapeutic options remain limited. Radiotherapy is used to treat bulky tumor and provide symptomatic relief. Intrathecal chemotherapy benefits a selected subset of patients. The challenge to the future is to delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying LM and to develop novel therapeutic or prophylactic modalities to combat LM.

Key Words  Leptomeningeal metastases - breast cancer - lung cancer - solid tumors - intrathecal chemotherapy

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