The multifocal dissemination of cancer cells from its primary site to subarachnoid, pia mater, and CSF in the brain and spinal cord is referred to as carcinomatous meningitis (CM). It is also termed as ‘leptomeningeal meningitis,’ ‘leptomeningeal carcinomatosis,’ ‘leptomeningeal metastasis,’ or ‘neoplastic meningitis.’ Beerman, in 1912, used the term ‘carcinomatous meningitis’ for a condition in which cancer cells metastasized to the meninges without involving brain parenchyma.
CM can occur in the advanced stage of many malignancies when cancer cells seed through CSF and deposit in the meninges. Involvement is usually multifocal and can cause a wide variety of symptoms. CSF analysis, along with imaging techniques, aid in the diagnosis. Treatment options include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, early diagnosis is challenging, and prognosis generally remains dismal. The development of newer techniques for diagnosis and novel therapeutic strategies may improve prognosis and limit morbidity.
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