Open AccessClinical Features and Prognostic Factors in Patients with Carcinomatous Meningitis Secondary to Breast Cancer
Author(s) -
LaraMedina Fernando,
Crismatt Alejandro,
VillarrealGarza Cynthia,
AlvaradoMiranda Alberto,
FloresHernández Lorena,
GonzálezPinedo Marcelino,
GamboaVignolle Carlos,
RuizGonzález J. D. Salvador,
Arrieta Óscar
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the breast journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1524-4741
pISSN - 1075-122X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1524-4741.2012.01228.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , multivariate analysis , retrospective cohort study , meningeal carcinomatosis , oncology , cancer , cerebrospinal fluid
Prognosis in patients with carcinomatous meningitis (CM) is poor, and numerous prognostic factors for response and survival have been described, but remain controversial. In general, series are small and involve a heterogeneous type of solid neoplasms. The purpose of this study was to describe a series of patients with breast cancer‐associated CM to determine the clinical features and prognostic factors associated with survival. We conducted a retrospective study on 49 patients diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2007 at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología in Mexico City. CSF cytopathology samples were re‐reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. Overall survival (OS) for patients with breast cancer with CM was 7 weeks. Factors independently associated with better OS included absence of encephalopathy at diagnosis (11 weeks versus 1 week; p = .036), low CSF protein content (15 versus 5 weeks; p = .022), and nontriple‐negative receptor status in the primary breast cancer tumor (13 versus 3 weeks; p = .015). According to multivariate analysis, patients were divided into favorable and poor prognostic groups, with OS of 14 weeks and 2 weeks, respectively (p < .001). These factors can identify a subgroup of patients who are candidates for an intensive management approach.