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Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis from ovarian cancer

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Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the most common cause of mortality among women with gynecologic malignancies and the fifth leading cause of death in all women. It usually spreads locally; hematogenous dissemination is rare, most often involving the liver and lungs. Cerebral metastases are reported in less than 2% of cases and tend to localize to the parenchyma, usually in the cerebrum. Leptomeningeal involvement is exceptionally rare. We report a case of a woman with metastatic ovarian cancer who developed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis while receiving systemic chemotherapy. We also provide an extensive review of the existing literature on neoplastic meningitis from ovarian cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the pathologists, radiologists and Akiko Hanyuda for their help in the preparation of this paper.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no potential conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2012 630 West 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Eliza Miller

  2. Department of Hematology-Oncology, St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, 1000 Tenth Avenue 11G, New York, NY, 10019, USA

    Irene Dy

  3. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Thomas Herzog

  4. Department of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 West 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Thomas Herzog

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  1. Eliza Miller
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  2. Irene Dy
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Correspondence to Irene Dy.

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Miller, E., Dy, I. & Herzog, T. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis from ovarian cancer. Med Oncol 29, 2010–2015 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-011-0076-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-011-0076-9

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