Carcinomatous meningitis in cancer of the uterine cervix

• Published in: Journal of neuro-oncology Vol. 70; no. 1; pp. 87 - 90
• Main Authors: RENTINCK, M. E. M, SCHRIJVER, H. M, KNEPPERS, E, ZIJLMANS, J. C. M, VAN GROENINGEN, C. J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.10.2004; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the nervous system. Bacterial myositis; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Meningeal Neoplasms - drug therapy; Meningeal Neoplasms - pathology; Methotrexate - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Neurology; Pneumology; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; Uterine Neoplasms - complications; Uterine Neoplasms - pathology; Nervous system diseases; Malignant tumor; intrathecal chemotherapy; Female genital diseases; Chemotherapy; Treatment; carcinomatous meningitis; Central nervous system disease; Meningitis; Methotrexate; Uterine cervix diseases; Intrathecal; Cervical cancer
• ISSN: 0167-594X; 1573-7373
• DOI: 10.1023/b:neon.0000040836.20884.fc

Carcinomatous meningitis is extremely rare in cervical cancer. The diagnosis of carcinomatous meningitis is a difficult one when clinical symptoms are limited and radiographic imaging is normal. Demonstration of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid remains the gold standard to establish the diagnosis. For patients without bulky disease who can be treated with radiotherapy, standard treatment for carcinomatous meningitis is chemotherapy, which may be administered intrathecally. Despite the poor prognosis, treatment may result in effective palliation. We describe a 54-year-old patient who was diagnosed with carcinomatous meningitis in the course of metastatic cervical cancer and who responded to administration of intrathecal methotrexate.