Carcinomatous meningitis from urothelial carcinoma of bladder and ureter: case report

Carcinomatous meningitis from urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and ureter is rare. A 77-year-old man with invasive bladder cancer and right ureter cancer had been treated with 3 courses M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin, cisplatin) chemotherapy. After chemotherapy we performed radical cystectomy and right nephroureterectomy (ileal-neobladder) (TCC, G3, pT3, N0, M0). Sixteen months after operation, patient complained of anorexia, muscular weakness, stiff neck. CT of chest and abdomen, and bone scintigraphy showed no metastasis. Brain CT and MRI showed hydrocephalus but no evidence of parenchymal metastasis. Because we suspected carcinomatous meningitis, we performed lumbar puncture. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology revealed class V (urothelial carcinoma). Patient died 6 days after diagnosis of carcinomatous meningitis.