A Cancer Conversation - Leptomeningeal Disease Clinic

Leptomeningeal disease is a type of metastatic cancer. The leptomeninges are two layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. They are the innermost layers covering the brain's surface, blood vessels, and cerebrospinal fluid. Five to eight percent of people with cancer will develop leptomeningeal disease. It is estimated that of the ~54,000 Georgians diagnosed each year with invasive cancer, as many as 4,000 are at risk of developing leptomeningeal disease.
Chris Curry sits down with Dr. Wallace, an assistant professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology within the Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia to discuss Leptomeningeal disease and the newest clinic to aid in patient care and treatment of the disease.

[@gissy.qma26]

my older sister, 29, just died of this disease. she was in extreme pain from headaches almost every 1-2 hours that will have her screaming so loud in pain. She was getting pain medication every two hours, then continuously until she finally passed away. She was suffering in this pain for almost 2 weeks. However, she started off with breast cancer. Fought it, then found out she had two brain tumors. Only one was removed and the other they tried to kill off with radiation. About a month after radiation, she started getting seizures which they almost got a control off after 2 days of constant seizures. Then the following two weeks is when she started experiencing the extreme painful headaches I was speaking off in the beginning. Maybe like 4 days before she actually passed away, they told us she might have leptomeningeal disease. It was too late for any treatment because she wasn't as alert anymore but also because she was almost always screaming of pain every 1-2 hours and they needed to keep giving her sedative medication and pain medication.
My sister was such a strong and resilient person. It's so hard for us to try to understand why she experienced such terrible and painful ending.. she did not deserve this. But her family and friend will keep her alive in our hearts and mind forever.

[@rashafaraj8825]

Sorry for your loss😢 my breast cancer is de novo with brain mets. Lepto were found last year and I was on SRS for other brain mets. Now it's in the cerebellum + LMD for which I am starting Whole brain radiation next week

[@snailtime737]

it’s fatal