Clinical Outcome in Aggressively Treated Meningeal Carcinomatosis

Abstract

Objective: To critically evaluate the clinical outcome of patients with cytologically proved meningeal carcinomatosis and to identify factors associated with an improved outcome. Design: A consecutive series of patients was identified from a cytopathology data base. The study period was from 1985 to 1990. Case records and results of radiologic investigations were reviewed; all patients were followed up until their deaths. Setting: University hospital with a cancer center. Patients: Thirty-six consecutive patients with cytologically proved meningeal carcinomatosis. Patients with lymphoma or leukemia were excluded. Interventions: External beam radiation therapy, intrathecal chemotherapy via a ventricular catheter, and intravenous chemotherapy. Main Outcome Measures: Clinical assessment and survival. Results: Symptoms improved in 15% of 33 treated patients. Response to treatment had no clear relationship with the age, site of involvement, or tumor type. Median survival for treated patients was only 9 weeks. Patients who received more than five intrareservoir chemotherapy treatments had a median survival of 23 weeks. Median survival for patients with breast carcinoma who received intravenous chemotherapy was 20 weeks, significantly better than that of patients not receiving intravenous chemotherapy. Conclusions: Survival is poor despite aggressive treatment. Intravenous chemotherapy may improve survival in patients with chemoresponsive primary tumors and deserves further study.