LC: clinical syndrome in different primaries

Abstract

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) occurs in solid tumors like breast, lung carcinoma and melanoma, rarely sarcoma and in leukemia and lymphoma. Clinical symptoms of LC often present with differential diagnostic problems. The most common presentation are multiple neuraxis syndromes which for didactic reasons are classically considered as central nervous system (CNS), spinal (SP) or cranial nerve (CN) symptoms and signs and appear isolated or more frequently in combinations. It is generally agreed that signs are usually more prominent than symptoms. Only few series focus on monolocular presentation at clinical manifestation. This overview describes the clinical symptoms and signs in patients with LC, the concept of multiple neuraxis lesions, CNS, CN and SP signs and symptoms. Also the problem of new symptoms and signs in patients treated with antineoplastic chemotherapy and radiation is addressed. The study is based on own results and a survey of the present literature.