What is meningeal cancer?
What is meningeal cancer?
A serious condition in which cancer cells spread from the original (primary) tumor to the meninges (the thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord). This can cause the meninges to become inflamed and cerebrospinal fluid and pressure to build up in the brain.
How fast does leptomeningeal disease progress?
Reported outcomes of LM from solid tumors have indicated high rates of progression to death within 4 to 6 weeks without therapy [7].
Why is leptomeningeal disease fatal?
Since leptomeningeal disease cancer cells float in the cerebrospinal fluid, they can quickly spread throughout the central nervous system. As a result, leptomeningeal disease has a poor prognosis, with survival typically measured in months.
Is meningitis a type of cancer?
Carcinomatous Meningitis: Your Questions Answered. Carcinomatous meningitis is a complication of late stage cancer. It develops when cancer cells spread to your meninges from other parts of your body. Your meninges are three layers of thin tissue that cover your brain and spinal cord.
How do you get meningioma?
The cause of meningiomas is not known. Exposure to radiation, especially in childhood, is the only known environmental risk factor for developing meningiomas. People who have a genetic condition, called neurofibromatosis type 2, are at increased risk for developing meningiomas.
What happens when cancer spreads to spinal fluid?
Cancer that spreads to the fluid and tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord can have devastating effects. The condition, called leptomeningeal metastasis, may cause pain, seizures, difficulty thinking, and a loss of muscle, bowel, and bladder control.
How long can you live with leptomeningeal metastases?
Leptomeningeal metastases from solid tumors confer a poor overall prognosis. Mean survival from the time of diagnosis is 2 to 4 months. However, subsets of patients, specifically those with lymphoma and breast cancer, may survive for more than 1 year with a reasonably good quality of life.
What does leptomeningeal feel like?
The most common problems are headaches, nausea, vomiting, double vision, weakness, loss of urine control, and difficulty walking, but leptomeningeal disease can cause almost any neurological problem, depending on where the cancer cells land.
What are the main causes of meningitis?
Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.
- meningococcal bacteria – there are several different types, called A, B, C, W, X, Y and Z.
- pneumococcal bacteria.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria.
- enteroviruses – viruses that usually only cause a mild stomach infection.
- the mumps virus.
What are the complications of meningitis?
Main complications hearing loss, which may be partial or total – people who have had meningitis will usually have a hearing test after a few weeks to check for any problems. recurrent seizures (epilepsy) problems with memory and concentration. co-ordination, movement and balance problems.
How serious is meningioma?
Although the majority of meningiomas are benign, these tumors can grow slowly until they are very large, if left undiscovered, and, in some locations, can be severely disabling and life-threatening. Other forms of meningioma may be more aggressive.
What is the prognosis for someone with a meningioma?
– Changes in vision, such as seeing double or blurriness – Headaches, especially those that are worse in the morning – Hearing loss or ringing in the ears – Memory loss – Loss of smell – Seizures – Weakness in your arms or legs – Language difficulty
When should a meningioma be removed?
Should I have my meningioma removed? Most meningiomas are small, slow-growing and noncancerous, and many do not need to be removed or otherwise treated. However, if a meningioma presses against the brain or spinal cord, surgery or another treatment may be considered to manage the resulting neurological symptoms.
What are the meningioma treatment options?
Have a small tumor that is not causing symptoms
What is the prognosis for hemangiosarcoma?
What is the prognosis for Hemangiosarcoma? In the case of splenic HSA treated with surgery alone, the prognosis is alarming. The patient survives between 19-86 days. Surgery combined with chemotherapy increases the median survival days from 141 to 179 days.