CARCINOMATOUS MENINGITIS

Course overview

CARCINOMATOUS MENINGITIS IS THE DISSEMINATION OF MALIGNANT CELLS FROM THE PRIMARY TUMOR SITES TO LEPTOMENINGEAL LAYERS OF THE CNS. IT OCCURS IN THE ADVANCED STAGE OF ANY CANCER, SOLID AS WELL AS HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES. IT IS A RARE COMPLICATION WITH A DISMAL PROGNOSIS. IT CAUSES A WIDE ARRAY OF SYMPTOMS ACCORDING TO THE SITE OF METASTASIS. CSF STUDIES AND MRI ARE THE TWO IMPORTANT DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS. TREATMENT INVOLVES A MULTIMODAL APPROACH CONSISTING OF RADIOTHERAPY AND CHEMOTHERAPY. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM THIS DISEASE.