Advances in the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of leptomeningeal disease.

ABSTRACT: Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a devastating complication of cancer with variable clinical presentation and limited benefit from existing treatment options. In this review, we discuss advances in LM diagnostics and therapeutics with the potential to reverse this grim course. Emerging cerebrospinal fluid circulating tumor cell and cell-free tumor DNA analysis technologies will improve diagnosis of LM, while providing crucial genetic information, capturing tumor heterogeneity, and quantifying disease burden. Circulating tumor cells and cell-free tumor DNA have utility as biomarkers to track disease progression and treatment response. Treatment options for LM include ventriculoperitoneal shunting for symptomatic relief, radiation therapy including whole-brain radiation and focal radiation

SUBMITTER: Sener U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8633748 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature