Metastatic Complications of Cancer Involving the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems

High-rate breakthrough cancer pain and tumour characteristics - literature review and case series

Cancer pain requires careful comprehensive patient evaluation and an appropriate and personalized clinical approach by a trained multidisciplinary team. The proper assessment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is part of an all-inclusive multidimensional evaluation of the patient. The aim of this narrative review is to explore the relationship between high-rate BTcP, which strongly impacts health- related quality of life and tumour characteristics, in the face of novel approaches that should provide guidance for future clinical practice. The presentation of short, emblematic clinical reports also promotes knowledge of BTcP, which, despite the availability of numerous therapeutic approaches, remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. This article is part of the Management of breakthrough cancer pain Special Issue: https://www.drugsincontext.com/special_issues/management-of-breakthrough-cancer-pain.

Melanoma metastasis to the femoral nerve: a novel case of melanoma masquerading as mononeuropathy. Illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Metastatic cancer may involve the central and peripheral nervous system, usually in the late stages of disease. At this point, most patients have been diagnosed and treated for widespread systemic disease. Rarely is the involvement of the peripheral nervous system the presenting manifestation of malignancy. One reason for this is a proposed "blood-nerve barrier" that renders the nerve sheath a relatively privileged site for metastases.

OBSERVATIONS

The authors presented a novel case of metastatic melanoma presenting as intractable leg pain and numbness. Further workup revealed concurrent disease in the brain and breast, prompting urgent treatment with radiation and targeted immunotherapy.

LESSONS

This case highlights the rare presentation of metastatic melanoma as a mononeuropathy. Although neurological complications of metastases tend to occur in later stages of disease after initial diagnosis and treatment, one must remember to consider malignancy in the initial differential diagnosis of mononeuropathy.

Neoplastic nerve lesions

Though metastasis and malignant infiltration of the peripheral nervous system is relatively rare, physicians should have a familiarity with their presentations to allow for prompt diagnosis and initiation of treatment. This article will review the clinical presentations, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of neoplastic involvement of the cranial nerves, nerve roots, peripheral nerves, and muscle. Due to the proximity of the neural structure traversing the skull base, metastasis to this region results in distinctive syndromes, most often associated with breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Metastatic involvement of the nerve roots is uncommon, apart from leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and bony metastasis with resultant nerve root damage, and is characterized by significant pain, weakness, and numbness of an extremity. Neoplasms may metastasize or infiltrate the brachial and lumbosacral plexuses resulting in progressive and painful sensory and motor deficits. Differentiating neoplastic involvement from radiation-induced injury is of paramount importance as it dictates treatment and prognosis. Neurolymphomatosis, due to malignant lymphocytic infiltration of the cranial nerves, nerve roots, plexuses, and peripheral nerves, deserves special attention given its myriad presentations, often mimicking acquired demyelinating neuropathies.

The Potential Role of Exosomes in the Treatment of Brain Tumors, Recent Updates and Advances

Exosomes are small endosomal derived membrane extracellular vesicles that contain cell-specific cargos such as lipid, protein, DNA, RNA, miRNA, long non-coding RNA, and some other cell components that are released into surrounding body fluids upon the fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVB) and the plasma membrane. Exosomes are a one-of-a-kind cell-to-cell communication mechanism that might pave the way for target therapy. The use of exosomes as a therapeutic potential in a variety of cancers has been and is still being investigated. One of the most important of these has been the use of exosomes in brain tumors therapy. Exosome contents play a crucial role in brain tumor progression by providing a favorable niche for tumor cell proliferation. Also, exosomes that are secreted from tumor cells, lead to the protection of tumor cells and their proliferation in the tumor environment by reducing the inflammatory response and suppression of the immune system. Although some treatment protocols such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are common in brain tumors, they do not result in complete remission in the treatment of some malignant and metastatic brain tumors. Identifying, targeting, and blocking exosomes involved in the progression of brain tumors could be a promising way to reduce brain tumor progression. On the other way, brain tumor therapy with effective therapeutic components such as siRNAs, mRNAs, proteins, could be developed. Finally, our research suggested that exosomes of nanoscale sizes might be a useful tool for crossing the blood-brain barrier and delivering effective content. However, further research is needed to fully comprehend the potential involvement of the exosome in brain tumor therapy protocols.

Rehabilitation in Advanced Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases and Neural Compromise: Current Status and Future Directions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aimed to increase the understanding of oncologists and physiatrists about the necessity, efficacy, and safety of rehabilitation in advanced cancer patients with bone metastases and neural compromise.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently, there are growing evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of rehabilitation in patients with bone metastases and neural compromise. Despite the potential benefits of rehabilitation, however, rehabilitative services are considerably underutilized in clinical practice. Many oncologists are not familiar with functional issues and have limited understanding of the available rehabilitative services. Moreover, medical professionals, even physiatrists, have uncertainties and concerns about skeletal complications and often regard rehabilitation as a contraindication in this patient group. This review aimed to raise awareness on the role of rehabilitation in the continuum of cancer treatment, to improve its use in clinical practice. A multidisciplinary team approach involving physiatrist may facilitate integration of relevant clinicians.

The spectrum of malignancies presenting with neurological manifestations: A prospective observational study

Introduction

A neurological consultation is needed in nearly 45% of patients suffering from cancer. The present study was planned to evaluate the clinical, radiological and histopathological spectrum of patients with an underlying malignancy and presenting with a neurological complaint.

Materials and Methods

We prospectively evaluated all patients provisionally diagnosed either with a primary or secondary malignancy of the brain on the basis of clinical, radiological and/or histopathological features.

Results

A total of 155 patients were enrolled from a total of 4893 admissions done from January 2015 to July 2016. The common presenting symptoms were headache, back pain and paraparesis. Around 26% of patients presented with an altered sensorium, 19.4% with seizures and 21% had at least one cranial nerve involvement. The most common site of involvement was the brain noted in 49.7% of patients. Primary malignancies constituted 78 cases (50.7%) while secondary malignancies included 77 cases (49.3%). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed 92 (59.4%) intra-axial lesions and 59 (38.1%) extra-axial lesions, with five cases having both. The most common diagnoses were intra-cerebral metastases and glioblastoma (intra-axial), and vertebral metastases and meningioma (extra-axial). Histopathological confirmation was obtained in 59 patients (38.1%) with 12 primary and 47 secondary lesions. Ten (6.45%) patients had an unknown primary with secondary metastases. The three most common histopathologically confirmed diagnoses were adenocarcinoma lung, plasma cell dyscrasia and adenocarcinoma prostate.

Conclusion

Primary neurological consultations with an unknown primary are common hence a high index of suspicion can prevent an inadvertent delay in the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of a malignant lesion. Developing a neuro-oncology register may help us in gaining more insight into such situations.