Cerebrospinal fluid tumor marker levels in predicting response to treatment and survival of carcinomatous meningitis in patients with advanced breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tumor marker levels in patients with breast cancer and carcinomatous meningitis. MATERIAL/
METHODS: Serial CSF and serum tumor marker (CEA, CA-15.3, CA-125, and CA-19.9) measurements were performed in five patients with breast cancer developing carcinomatous meningitis in an attempt to correlate these with clinical outcome under treatment.
RESULTS: CSF tumor marker levels correlated with response to treatment and outcome in each patient; despite achieving negative CSF cytology after therapy, in two patients it heralded disease progression.
CONCLUSIONS: Given our findings, CSF tumor marker evaluation may provide a reliable means and surrogate end-points of monitoring response of carcinomatous meningitis to treatment. Therefore, large studies to assess the value of CSF tumor marker changes in carcinomatous meningitis are warranted.