Meningitis carcinomatosa originating from an alpha fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer

Intern Med. 2000 Mar;39(3):223-7. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.39.223.

Abstract

Alpha fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer is relatively rare and meningitis carcinomatosa is similarly a rare manifestation among the neoplastic diseases. There have been no previous reports of meningitis carcinomatosa originating from AFP-producing gastric cancer. A 68-year-old man with AFP-producing gastric cancer was treated with cisplatin and doxifluridine because of multiple liver metastases. Although the liver lesion was reduced to 30% of pretreatment size after 6 courses of chemotherapy, meningitis carcinomatosa subsequently occurred. Immunostaining of AFP and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were useful in the diagnosis of meningitis caused by AFP producing cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis
  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary*
  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Biopsy
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gastroscopy
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Meningitis / blood
  • Meningitis / diagnosis
  • Meningitis / etiology*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Stomach Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • alpha-Fetoproteins