Skip to main content
PMC home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1980 Mar;56(653):149–158. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.56.653.149

Diffuse involvement of the leptomeninges by tumour--a clinical and pathological study of 63 cases.

R Boyle, M Thomas, J H Adams
PMCID: PMC2425846  PMID: 7393804

Abstract

The clinical and pathological features of 63 cases of post-mortem-proved diffuse infiltration of the leptomeninges by tumour are presented. A wide variety of tumours of the nervous system, both primary and secondary, was found to give rise to such involvement, with adenocarcinoma having a particular propensity to behave in this manner. Dysfunction of cranial and spinal nerves, a confusional state and headache were prominent clinical features. Examination of the cerebro-spinal fluid was found to be less useful diagnostically in cases of primary tumours of the nervous system with leptomeningeal involvement than in cases of diffuse infiltration of the meninges by carcinoma.

Full text

PDF
152

Images in this article

152Fig. 1
on p.152
153Fig. 2
on p.153
153Fig. 3
on p.153
154Fig. 4
on p.154
154Fig. 5
on p.154
155Fig. 6
on p.155
155Fig. 7
on p.155
155Fig. 8
on p.155

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BERG L. Hypoglycorrhachia of non-infectious origin: diffuse meningeal neoplasia. Neurology. 1953 Nov;3(11):811–824. doi: 10.1212/wnl.3.11.811. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bramlet D., Giliberti J., Bender J. Meningeal carcinomatosis. Case report and review of the literature. Neurology. 1976 Mar;26(3):287–290. doi: 10.1212/wnl.26.3.287. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. De Vita V. T., Canellos G. P. Hypoglycorrhachia in meningeal carcinomatosis. Cancer. 1966 May;19(5):691–694. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196605)19:5<691::aid-cncr2820190514>3.0.co;2-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. FISCHER-WILLIAMS M., BOSANQUET F. D., DANIEL P. M. Carcinomatosis of the meninges; a report of three cases. Brain. 1955;78(1):42–58. doi: 10.1093/brain/78.1.42. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FISHMAN R. A. STUDIES OF THE TRANSPORT OF SUGARS BETWEEN BLOOD AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID IN NORMAL STATES AND IN MENINGEAL CARCINOMATOSIS. Trans Am Neurol Assoc. 1963;88:114–118. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. GRAIN G. O., KARR J. P. Diffuse leptomeningeal carcinomatosis; clinical and pathologic characteristics. Neurology. 1955 Oct;5(10):706–722. doi: 10.1212/wnl.5.10.706. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Graham D. I., Paterson A., McQueen A., Milne J. A., Urich H. Melanotic tumours (Blue Naevi) of spinal nerve roots. J Pathol. 1976 Feb;118(2):83–89. doi: 10.1002/path.1711180204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HEATHFIELD K. W., WILLIAMS J. R. Carcinomatosis of the meninges; some clinical and pathological aspects. Br Med J. 1956 Feb 11;1(4962):328–330. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4962.328. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. LESSE S., NETSKY M. G. Metastasis of neoplasms to the central nervous system and meninges. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1954 Aug;72(2):133–153. doi: 10.1001/archneurpsyc.1954.02330020001001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Little J. R., Dale A. J., Okazaki H. Meningeal carcinomatosis. Clinical manifestations. Arch Neurol. 1974 Feb;30(2):138–143. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1974.00490320026003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Olson M. E., Chernik N. L., Posner J. B. Infiltration of the leptomeninges by systemic cancer. A clinical and pathologic study. Arch Neurol. 1974 Feb;30(2):122–137. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1974.00490320010002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Parsons M. The spinal form of carcinomatous meningitis. Q J Med. 1972 Oct;41(164):509–519. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES