TY - JOUR
T1 - Diagnostics and Screening in Breast Cancer with Brain and Leptomeningeal Metastasis
T2 - A Review of the Literature
AU - Cohen-Nowak, Adam J.
AU - Hill, Virginia Boyce
AU - Kumthekar, Priya
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Brain and leptomeningeal metastases are complications of breast cancer with high rates of morbidity and mortality and have an estimated incidence of up to 30%. While National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend screening for central nervous system metastasis in other neurotropic cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer, there are no such recommendations for asymptomatic breast cancer patients at any stage of disease. This review highlights ongoing studies into screening and diagnostics for breast cancer with brain and leptomeningeal metastasis (BCBLM) as they relate to patient outcomes and prognostication. These include imaging methods such as MRI with novel contrast agents with or without PET/CT, as well as ‘liquid biopsy’ testing of the cerebrospinal fluid and serum to analyze circulating tumor cells, genomic material, proteins, and metabolites. Given recent advances in radiation, neurosurgery, and systemic treatments for BCBLM, screening for CNS involvement should be considered in patients with advanced breast cancer as it may impact treatment decisions and overall survival.
AB - Brain and leptomeningeal metastases are complications of breast cancer with high rates of morbidity and mortality and have an estimated incidence of up to 30%. While National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines recommend screening for central nervous system metastasis in other neurotropic cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer, there are no such recommendations for asymptomatic breast cancer patients at any stage of disease. This review highlights ongoing studies into screening and diagnostics for breast cancer with brain and leptomeningeal metastasis (BCBLM) as they relate to patient outcomes and prognostication. These include imaging methods such as MRI with novel contrast agents with or without PET/CT, as well as ‘liquid biopsy’ testing of the cerebrospinal fluid and serum to analyze circulating tumor cells, genomic material, proteins, and metabolites. Given recent advances in radiation, neurosurgery, and systemic treatments for BCBLM, screening for CNS involvement should be considered in patients with advanced breast cancer as it may impact treatment decisions and overall survival.
KW - brain metastasis
KW - breast cancer
KW - diagnostics
KW - leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
KW - screening
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U2 - 10.3390/cancers16213686
DO - 10.3390/cancers16213686
M3 - Review article
C2 - 39518124
AN - SCOPUS:85208428672
SN - 2072-6694
VL - 16
JO - Cancers
JF - Cancers
IS - 21
M1 - 3686
ER -