How fast does leptomeningeal disease progress?

How fast does leptomeningeal disease progress?

Reported outcomes of LM from solid tumors have indicated high rates of progression to death within 4 to 6 weeks without therapy [7].

Why is leptomeningeal disease fatal?

Since leptomeningeal disease cancer cells float in the cerebrospinal fluid, they can quickly spread throughout the central nervous system. As a result, leptomeningeal disease has a poor prognosis, with survival typically measured in months.

How is leptomeningeal metastases treated?

Treatment of leptomeningeal metastases (LM) is individualized based on factors including histology, prognosis, presence of bulky CNS disease, and the state of systemic disease. Treatment modalities may include systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy, use of targeted agents, intrathecal therapy, and immunotherapy.

How do you treat patients with leptomeningeal metastases?

How long can you live with brain metastasis?

A decade and a half ago, people diagnosed with a brain metastasis survived, on average, less than 6 months. Treatments have improved in the intervening years, and today, people with brain metastases are living longer than ever before.

What is meningeal carcinomatosis?

Meningeal Carcinomatosis (MC), also called leptomeningeal carcinomatosis or neoplastic meningitis, is a disease wherein intracranial primary tumors or extracranial malignant cells disseminate or focally invade into the meninges and spinal subarachnoid. It usually results from metastatic spread into the cerebrospinal fluid.

What is the prognosis of carcinomatous meningitis?

Carcinomatous meningitis is usually a complication of late stage cancer, so it often has a poor prognosis. With treatment, the median survival time after diagnosis is 2 to 4 months. Without treatment, the average survival time is around 4 to 6 weeks. People with breast cancer have a slightly better outlook with a mean survival of 5 to 7 months.

What are the symptoms of carcinomatous meningitis?

Symptoms of carcinomatous meningitis can vary significantly depending on where it develops. About 2 percent of people don’t have symptoms at all. Headache is the most commonly reported symptom and occurs in about 39 percent of people with carcinomatous meningitis.

Is there an NMR metabolomics approach for the diagnosis of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis?

An NMR metabolomics approach for the diagnosis of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in lung adenocarcinoma cancer patients. Int J Cancer2015;136(1):162–71.