ANIMAL-MODELS OF LEPTOMENINGEAL METASTASIS

Animal models of leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) should give insight in to pathophysiological mechanisms and allow to evaluate new treatments including their neurotoxicity. Syngeneic models use tumor cells of mou se, rat, rabbit or guinea pig origin. Allogeneic models usually rely o n human tumor cells injected into nude mice or rats. A review of the l iterature revealed 2 (4) different glioma, 3 medulloblastoma, 3 (3) ca rcinoma, 3 (1) melanoma, 1 rhabdomyosarcoma, 2 (8) leukemia and 2 (2) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma allogeneic (syngeneic) models of LM. These mode ls have been used to study the evolution of LM and to evaluate systemi c or intrathecal chemotherapy, intrathecal immunotherapy (interleukin- 2, interferon-beta, uncoupled, toxin- or radionuclide-conjugated antib odies), and recently gene therapeutic approaches. On the whole, pathop hysiological, therapeutic and neurotoxic findings have been well trans ferable to the clinical situation. Therefore, it seems rational to pre clinically test new treatments in an appropriate animal model of LM be fore using them in patients.