Listerial meningitis in a patient with metastatic breast cancer: A case report

The risk of cerebral metastasis in patients with breast cancer is associate d with the duration of the disease and the number of chemotherapy regimens received. Infectious diseases of the central nervous system can cause simil ar symptoms as cerebral metastases and should be included in the differenti al diagnosis of patients with central nervous symptoms. We describe a 58-ye ar-old woman with metastatic breast cancer who was referred for evaluation for cerebral metastases or carcinomatous meningitis. Breast cancer had been diagnosed 8 years previously and treated with surgery and antiestrogens. R ecurrence 3 years later was treated with a number of chemotherapy regimens, most recently docetaxel and vinorelbine. Lumbar puncture showed meningitis due to Listeria. Despite prompt treatment with penicillin and aminoglycosi des the patient died of complications of meningitis.