title: Changes of cerebrospinal fluid tumor marker levels may predict response to treatment and survival of carcinomatous meningitis in patients with advanced breast cancer.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tumor marker levels in patients with breast cancer and carcinomatous meningitis. Serial CSF and serum tumor marker (CEA, CA-15.3, CA-125, and CA-19.9) measurements were performed in five patients with breast cancer developing carcinomatous meningitis in an attempt to correlate these with clinical outcome under treatment. CSF tumor marker levels correlated with response to treatment and outcome in each patient, and, despite achieving negative CSF cytology after therapy in two patients, it heralded disease progression. Given our findings, CSF tumor marker evaluation may provide a reliable means and surrogate end-points of monitoring response of carcinomatous meningitis to treatment. Therefore, large studies to assess the value of CSF tumor marker changes in carcinomatous meningitis are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, 2nd Division of Medical Oncology, Metaxa Cancer Hospital, Piraeus, Greece. ckosm@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosmas
authors.forename: Nicolas B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Tsavaris
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soukouli
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gouveris
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsakonas
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katselis
authors.forename: Heraklis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mylonakis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karabelis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D018396:Mucin-1