The Role of Intra-cerebrospinal Fluid Treatment and Prophylaxis in Patients With Solid Tumors
Metastasis to the central nervous system (CNS), including neoplastic meningitis (NM), is a devastating complication of systemic cancer. With the improved survival of cancer patients, the incidence of CNS metastasis is rising, especially among those with breast or lung carcinoma. New therapies that effectively treat these primary tumors outside of the CNS have underscored the significance of CNS metastases; they have become a significant clinical issue and a therapeutic challenge. This review discusses clinical situations in which treatment or chemoprophylaxis of CNS metastases and NM from breast or lung cancer may play an important role. Potential clinical trials to assess these assumptions also will be proposed.
aDepartments of Neuroscience and Oncology, University and San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Torino, Italy
bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
cDepartment of Neurosurgery, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah Health Science Center, Salt Lake City, UT
dOtto-von-Guericke-University, University Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Magdeburg, Germany
eDepartment of Medical Oncology, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Address correspondence to Riccardo Soffietti, MD, Division of Neuro-Oncology, University of Torino and San Giovanni Battista Hospital, 15 Via Cherasco, Torino, 10126, Italy
STATEMENT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have nothing to disclose.
ABSTRACT