Leptomeningeal cancer

Uncommon card · No. 180720

Leptomeningeal cancer is a rare complication of cancer in which the disease spreads from the original tumor site to the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This leads to an inflammatory response, hence the alternative names neoplastic meningitis (NM), malignant meningitis, or carcinomatous meningitis. The term leptomeningeal (from the Greek lepto, meaning 'fine' or 'slight') describes the thin meninges, the arachnoid and the pia mater, between which the cerebrospinal fluid is located. The disorder was originally reported by Eberth in 1870. It is also known as leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, leptomeningeal disease (LMD), leptomeningeal metastasis, meningeal metastasis and meningeal carcinomatosis. It occurs with cancers that are most likely to spread to the central nervous system. The most common cancers that spread to the leptomeninges are breast cancer, lung cancer, and melanomas because they can metastasize to the subarachnoid space in the brain which offers a hospitable environment...

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