Neoplastic meningitis causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sujit Routray, M.D. [2]

Common causes of neoplastic meningitis include primary intracerebral malignancies (glioblastoma multiforme, anaplastic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma) and metastatic disease (breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, leukemia). Neoplastic meningitis is a secondary cancer caused by the spread of tumor cells into the meninges and subarachnoid space from a primary source. Most common solid tumor sources documented are breast, lung, melanoma and hematologic cancers mostly acute lymphocytic leukemia. Cancers not previously thought to be predisposed to neoplastic meningitis but now has documented cases are gastric, prostate, ovarian, cervical and endometrial.

Neoplastic meningitis is a secondary cancer caused by the spread of tumor cells into the meninges and subarachnoid space from a primary source. Most common solid tumor sources documented are breast, lung, melanoma and hematologic cancers mostly acute lymphocytic leukemia. Cancers not previously thought to be predisposed to neoplastic meningitis but now has documented cases are gastric, prostate, ovarian, cervical and endometrial. ^[1]

• Cancers not previously thought to be predisposed to neoplastic meningitis but now has documented cases are gastric, prostate, ovarian, cervical and endometrial.^[2]
• Primary intracerebral malignancies that may cause metastases (drop-metastasis) to the subarachnoid space include:^[3]

• • Glioblastoma multiforme
  • Anaplastic astrocytoma
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (SPNET)^[4]
  • Ependymoma
  • Germinoma
  • Choroid plexus carcinoma
• Vast majority of leptomeningeal metastases originates from a widespread metastatic disease (hematogenous spread). Common primary sites include:^[3]

• Breast cancer (most common)
• Lung cancer
• Melanoma
• Lymphoma and leukemia

• Sarcomas rarely metastasizes to the meninges.

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