Current treatment approaches for neoplastic meningitis: nursing management of patients receiving intrathecal DepoCyt.

PURPOSE/

OBJECTIVES

To review neoplastic meningitis and the nursing implications for the intrathecal administration of chemotherapy.

DATA SOURCES: Published research and educational manuscripts, books, conference proceedings, and personal experience.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Standard treatment for neoplastic meningitis includes radiotherapy to the neuraxis to palliate symptomatic disease, intrathecal chemotherapy to eradicate cancer cells in the cerebrospinal axis, and systemic chemotherapy. Intrathecal liposomal cytarabine (DepoCyt), a novel lipid-encapsulated chemotherapeutic agent, prolongs tumor exposure to cytotoxic levels of cytarabine, improves patient response rates, and prolongs time to clinical progression.

CONCLUSIONS

DepoCyt prolongs the half-life of cytarabine in the central nervous system, resulting in improved patient response to therapy and delayed disease progression.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The clinical success of DepoCyt treatment depends on effective implementation of the treatment regimen, attentiveness to patient and family education, and adverse-event management.