Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis Secondary to Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review of a Rare Occurrence

Abstract

We present a 68-year-old male with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) from gastroesophageal junction carcinoma. Three months following epirubicin, cisplatin, 5-flurouracil (ECF) chemotherapy, the patient suffered from gait imbalance, headache, and dysarthria. CT and MRI imaging revealed LC throughout the brain and spine. The patient was prescribed dexamethasone and treated with a course of palliative radiation to the whole brain, 2000cGy/5. Additionally, the regions of symptomatic disease in the spine included the top of L4 vertebrae to the bottom of the S2 vertebrae which was treated with 2000cGy/5, and the top of the C5 vertebrae to the bottom of the T4 vetebrae received 800cGy/1. The radiation treatment did provide short-term symptom control; however, the patient eventually passed away from his illness. While LC remains a devastating complication of malignant disease, it has been rarely discussed in GI tumors, specifically GE junction adenocarcinomas. Therefore treatment options must be considered using first principles based on management of LC in more common disease sites. With early detection, and for patients with good performance status, palliative radiation utilizing hypofractionated regimens to sites of symptomatic involvement may improve quality of life for this group of unfortunate people.