Carcinomatous meningitis in cancer of the uterine cervix.
Carcinomatous meningitis is extremely rare in cervical cancer. The diagnosis of carcinomatous meningitis is a difficult one when clinical symptoms are limited and radiographic imaging is normal. Demonstration of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid remains the gold standard to establish the diagnosis. For patients without bulky disease who can be treated with radiotherapy, standard treatment for carcinomatous meningitis is chemotherapy, which may be administered intrathecally. Despite the poor prognosis, treatment may result in effective palliation. We describe a 54-year-old patient who was diagnosed with carcinomatous meningitis in the course of metastatic cervical cancer and who responded to administration of intrathecal methotrexate.
Rentinck
M E M
ME
Department of Medical Oncology, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Schrijver
H M
HM
Kneppers
E
E
Zijlmans
J C M
JC
van Groeningen
C J
CJ
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D008727:Methotrexate