Leptomeningeal disease in breast cancer: State of the art and future directions ; Métastases leptoméningées dans le cancer du sein – État des lieux et perspectives

International audience ; Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) from breast cancer is defined by the invasion of the leptomeninges and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by tumor cells. Historically associated with a very poor prognosis and survival measured in weeks, their management has evolved considerably. Therapeutic advances, such as the introduction of targeted therapies, and a better understanding of the pathophysiology of LMD now enable earlier diagnosis through dedicated MRI sequences and optimized CSF analysis. The EANO-ESMO classification notably distinguishes type I LMD (cytology-positive), which carries a worse prognosis but is more sensitive to intrathecal (IT) treatments, from type II LMD (negative or uncertain cytology), often more responsive to local-regional approaches like radiotherapy. Data from large retrospective cohorts highlight the importance of combination therapies: systemic treatments, IT injections, radiotherapy, as well as early symptomatic and palliative care. This multidisciplinary approach improves median survival, now reaching several months, and can even surpass 10 months in HER2+ cases. Innovative clinical trials, such as ETIC-LM (NCT05800275) – a French phase II study evaluating the combination of IT trastuzumab, oral tucatinib, and oral capecitabine offer encouraging new strategies for patient care. Although the prognosis remains poor, recent advancements suggest a more hopeful future, providing better disease control and improved quality of life for patients with LMD from breast cancer. ; Les métastases leptoméningées du cancer du sein se définissent par l’envahissement des leptoméninges et du liquide cérébro-spinal par des cellules tumorales. Autrefois associées à un pronostic très sombre et une survie d’à peine quelques semaines, leur prise en charge a profondément évolué. Les avancées thérapeutiques, comme l’introduction de thérapies ciblées et une meilleure compréhension de la physiopathologie des métastases leptoméningées, favorisent aujourd’hui un diagnostic plus précoce, grâce à des ...