About Leptomeningeal Disease
When you're facing a tumor diagnosis, knowing the basics can be helpful to navigate your next steps. A leptomeningeal tumor — also called leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, leptomeningeal metastasis, neoplastic meningitis, meningeal metastasis and meningeal carcinomatosis — refers to cancer that has spread from the original tumor to the meninges, the thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord, causing the meninges to become inflamed. This can happen with any type of cancer (it occurs in about 3 to 5% of cancer patients) but is most common in melanoma, breast, lung and gastrointestinal cancer cases.
There is evidence that cases of central nervous system metastases, including leptomeningeal tumors, are increasing because modern medicine has prolonged the survival of cancer patients, giving the primary tumor a chance to spread to the meninges. The prognosis is poor for these tumors, with the median survival being about three months after diagnosis. Treatment is often ineffective because the tumor is hard to eradicate, though radiation therapy and chemotherapy may have some palliative benefits.
Learn more about the symptoms and risk factors of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis below.
Symptoms and Risk Factors of Leptomeningeal Disease
General signs and symptoms of leptomeningeal disease include those associated with brain pressure. These may include headaches, changes in mental status, nausea and vomiting, difficulty with balance, seizures and papilledema.
Cranial nerve symptoms like visual loss, diplopia, hearing loss, dysphagia, ocular muscle weakness, facial weakness and facial pain are also sometimes present. For patients with spinal leptomeningeal disease, symptoms like radicular pain, weakness and paresthesias are also common.
Since leptomeningeal disease is caused by tumor cells traveling through the brain and spinal cord, the main risk factor for leptomeningeal disease is having cancer.
Leptomeningeal disease can stem from cancers like metastatic breast cancer, small cell lung cancer or melanoma. Even though this disease is often assumed to be fatal, patients have benefited greatly from a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Cancer Specialists Who Specialize in You
When you or someone you love is facing cancer, we put our medical knowledge and concerned hearts to work, supporting you with everything we’ve got.
Count on our world-class physicians, surgeons, nurses, social workers and Nurse Navigators to guide your care with lifesaving diagnostic technology, proven cancer treatments and an unwavering commitment to your whole-person health.
Find Us in Your Community
Across the nation, each of our locations offering cancer treatment contributes to the strength of the AdventHealth Cancer Institute network. Explore your options for care close to home with the guidance of our dedicated team. We’ll help you find the right fit, so you’re in the best setting to get the care you need.