Table 1.
Patient characteristics (N=318)
| Characteristics | N | % | Univariate association with OS |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at LM diagnosis (years) | Median | 54 | ||
| Range | 23–84 | |||
| Age at BC diagnosis (years) | Median | 46.4 | ||
| Range | 20.5–77.4 | |||
| Time from MBC to LM diagnosis (months) |
Median | 22.6 | ||
| Range | 0–238 | |||
| Year of LM diagnosis | 1998 – 2005 | 98 | 31% | < 0.01 |
| 2006 – 2013 | 220 | 69% | ||
| Receptor status | HR+/HER2− | 140 | 44% | <0.01 |
| HR any/ HER2+ | 83 | 26% | ||
| HR− / HER2− | 81 | 26% | ||
| Missing | 14 | 4% | ||
| KPS at LM diagnosis | < 70 | 58 | 18% | <0.01 |
| ≥ 70 | 223 | 70% | ||
| Missing | 37 | 12% | ||
| Stage at the time of initial BC diagnosis |
I | 26 | 8% | |
| II | 68 | 21% | ||
| III | 40 | 13% | ||
| IV | 78 | 25% | ||
| Missing | 106 | 33% | ||
| Grade of primary BC | I/II | 36 | 11% | 0.06 |
| III | 199 | 63% | ||
| Missing | 83 | 26% | ||
| Method of LM diagnosis confirmation |
Cytology and imaging | 95 | 30% | |
| Cytology only | 12 | 4% | ||
| Imaging only | 208 | 65% | ||
| Clinical* | 3 | 1% | ||
| Sites of LM involvement | Cranial only | 135 | 43% | 0.04 |
| Spine only | 84 | 26% | ||
| Cranial and spine | 83 | 26% | ||
| Missing | 16 | 5% | ||
| Non- CNS disease control status |
NED | 34 | 11% | 0.002 |
| Non-POD | 102 | 32% | ||
| POD | 168 | 53% | ||
| Missing | 14 | 4% | ||
| Presence of brain metastases | Prior to LMD diagnosis | 139 | 44% | 0.007 |
| Concurrent with LMD diagnosis | 69 | 22% | ||
| After LMD diagnosis | 8 | 3% | ||
| No | 102 | 32% | ||
| LM specific treatment | Radiation | 203 64% | ||
| Intrathecal/ventricular therapy | 46 | 14% | ||
| IV therapy (HD methotrexate) | 64 | 20% | ||
| VP shunt placement | 60 | 19% | ||
| Systemic therapy use after LM diagnosis |
No | 126 | 40% | <0.001 |
| Yes | 192 | 60% | ||
*
No information on imaging or cytology was available but patients were documented to have LM diagnosis and treated with LM specific treatment.
Abbreviations: N, sample size, LMD, leptomeningeal disease; BC, breast cancer; MBC, metastatic breast cancer; KPS, Karnofsky Performance Status; CNS, central nervous system; HR, hormone receptor; NED, no evidence of disease; Non-POD, non-progressing disease; POD, progressive disease; IV, intravenous; HD, high dose; VP, ventriculoperitoneal