Abstract
Radiotherapy has multiple roles in the treatment of leptomeningeal cancer. While it is uncommon for patients to experience regression of neurologic deficits due to leptomeningeal cancer, focal radiotherapy often provides significant palliation of pain, increased intracranial pressure and other focal symptoms. Focal radiotherapy may also be used to eliminate blockages of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and allow for safe administration of intrathecal chemotherapy. Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is most often used as prophylaxis for patients at high risk of leptomeningeal tumor dissemination, but may result in symptom palliation and prolonged disease control for patients with active leptomeningeal tumor.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Wasserstrom WR, Glass JP, Posner JB. Diagnosis and treatment of leptomeningeal metastases from solid tumors: experience with 90 patients. Cancer 1982; 49:759–772.
Grossman SA, Krabak MJ. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. Cancer Treat Rev 1999; 25:103–119.
Seeldrayers P, Hildebrand J. Treatment of neoplastic meningitis. Euro J Cancer Clin Oncol 1984; 20:449–456.
Iaconetta G, Lamaida E, Rossi A, Signorelli F, Manto A, Giamundo, A. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis: review of the literature. Acta Neurologica 1009; 16:214–220.
Blaney SM, Poplack DG. Neoplastic meningitis: diagnosis and treatment considerations. Med Oncol 2000; 17:151–162.
Kagan AR. In: Perez, C.A. and Brady, L.W. (eds). Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology, 3rd ed., Lippincott-Raven Publishers, p. 2195, 1998.
Das, RK. Field Matching. University of Wisconsin-Madison Radiation Physics Class. May, 2001.
Kun LE. In: Perez, C.A. and Brady, L.W. (eds). Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology, 3rd ed., Lippincott-Raven Publishers, p. 2079, 1998.
Hermann B, Hultenschmidt B, Sautter-Bihl ML. Radiotherapy of the neuraxis for palliative treatment of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. Strahlentherapie und Onkologie 2001; 177:195–199.
Hitchins RN, Bell DR, Woods RL, Levi JA. A prospective randomized trial of single-agent versus combination chemotherapy in meningeal carcinomatosis. J Clin Oncol 1987; 5:1655–1662.
Sause WT, Crowley J, Eyre HJ, et al. Whole brain irradiation and intrathecal methotrexate in the treatment of solid tumor leptomeningeal metastases—a Southwest Oncology Group study. J Neuro-Oncol 1988; 6:107–112, 1988.
Glantz MJ, Hall WA, Cole BF, et al. Diagnosis, management, and survival of patients with leptomeningeal cancer based on cerebrospinal fluid-flow status. Cancer 1995; 75:2919–2931.
Kassis AI, Wen PY, Van den Abbeele AD, et al. 5-[125I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine in the radiotherapy of brain tumors in rats. J Nuclear Med 1998; 39:1148–1154.
Zalutsky MR, Bigner DD. Radioimmunotherapy with alpha-particle emitting radioimmunoconjugates. Acta Oncologica 1996; 35:373–379.
Coakham HB, Kemshead JT. Treatment of neoplastic meningitis by targeted radiation using (131)I-radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies. Results of responses and long term follow-up in 40 patients. J Neuro-Oncol 1998; 38:225–232.
Coakham HB, Richardson RB, Davies AG, Bourne SP, Eckert H, Kemshead JT. Neoplastic meningitis from a pineal tumour treated by antibody-guided irradiation via the intrathecal route. Br J Neurosurg 1988; 2:199–209.
Papanastassiou V, Pizer BL, Chandler CL, Zananiri TF, Kemshead JT, Hopkins KI. Pharmacokinetics and dose estimates following intrathecal administration of 131I-monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of central nervous system malignancies. Int J Radiat Oncol, Biol, Physics 1995; 31:541–552.
Kramer K, Cheung NK, Humm JL, et al. Targeted radioimmunotherapy for leptomeningeal cancer using (131)I-3F8. Med Pediat Oncol 2000; 35:716–718.
Cokgor I, Akabani G, Friedman HS, et al. Long term response in a patient with neoplastic meningitis secondary to melanoma treated with (131)I-radiolabeled antichondroitin proteoglycan sulfate Mel-14 F(ab')(2): a case study. Cancer 2001; 91:1809–1813.
Hafeli UO, Sweeney SM, Beresford BA, Sim EH, Macklis RM: Magnetically directed poly (lactic acid) 90Y-microspheres: novel agents for targeted intracavitary radiotherapy. J Biomed Materials Res 1994; 28:901–908.
Chamberlain MC, Kormanik PR. Carcinomatous meningitis secondary to breast cancer: predictors of response to combined modality therapy. J Neuro-Oncol 1997; 35:55–64.
Lampl Y, Paniri Y, Eshel Y, Sarova-Pinchas I. Alkaline phosphatase level in CSF in various brain tumors and pulmonary carcinomatous meningitis. J Neuro-Oncol 1990; 9:35–40.
Chamberlain MC. Pediatric leptomeningeal metastases: outcome following combined therapy. J Child Neurol 1997; 12:53–59.
Jennings MT, Slatkin N, D'Angelo M, et al. Neoplastic meningitis as the presentation of occult primitive neuroectodermal tumors. J Child Neurol 1993; 8:306–312.
Hanssens PEJ, Lagerwaard FJ, Levendag PC. Principles of radiotherapy of neoplastic meningosis. J Neuro-Oncol 1998; 38:145–150.
Jayson GC, Howell A. Carcinomatous meningitis in solid tumours. Ann Oncol 1996; 7:773–786.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mehta, M., Bradley, K. (2005). Radiation Therapy for Leptomeningeal Cancer. In: Abrey, L.E., Chamberlain, M.C., Engelhard, H.H. (eds) Leptomeningeal Metastases. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 125. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24199-X_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24199-X_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-24198-2
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-24199-9
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)