Neoplastic meningitis in solid tumours: Updated review of diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutic management, and future directions

Abstract

Neoplastic meningitis (NM) is a relatively frequent metastatic complication of cancer associated with high levels of neurological morbidity and generally poor prognosis. It appears in 5%-15% of patients with solid tumours, the most frequent being breast and lung cancer and melanoma. Symptoms are caused by involvement of the cerebral hemispheres, cranial nerves, spinal cord, and nerve roots, and are often multifocal or present with signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension. The main diagnostic tools are the neurological examination, brain and spinal cord contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis including cytology, although studies have recently been conducted into the detection of tumour cells and DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid, which increases diagnostic sensitivity. With the currently available therapies, treatment aims not to cure the disease, but to delay and ameliorate the symptoms and to preserve quality of life. Treatment of NM involves a multimodal approach that may include radiotherapy, intrathecal and/or systemic chemotherapy, and surgery. Treatment should be individualised, and is based mainly on clinical practice guidelines and expert opinion. Promising clinical trials are currently being conducted to evaluate drugs with molecular and immunotherapeutic targets. This article is an updated review of NM epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, prognosis, management, and treatment; it is aimed at general neurologists and particularly at neurologists practicing in hospital settings with oncological patients.