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

Christos Kosmas, Nicolas B Tsavaris, George Tsakonas, Georgia Soukouli, Argyris Gassiamis, Nicolas Mylonakis, Athanasios Karabelis

Med Sci Monit 2005; 11(8): CR398-401

ID: 202098

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive valueof 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) measurementswere performed in five patients with breast cancer developing carcinomatous meningitis in an attemptto correlate these with clinical outcome under treatment. Results: CSF tumor marker levels correlatedwith response to treatment and outcome in each patient; despite achieving negative CSF cytology aftertherapy, in two patients it heralded disease progression. Conclusions: Given our findings, CSF tumormarker evaluation may provide a reliable means and surrogate end-points of monitoring response of carcinomatousmeningitis to treatment. Therefore, large studies to assess the value of CSF tumor marker changes incarcinomatous meningitis are warranted.

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