A Hematogenous Route for Medulloblastoma Leptomeningeal Metastases

We present evidence for medulloblastoma circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in therapy-naive patients and demonstrate in vivo, through flank xenografting and parabiosis, that medulloblastoma CTCs can spread through the blood to the leptomeningeal space to form leptomeningeal metastases. Medulloblastoma leptomeningeal metastases express high levels of the chemokine CCL2, and expression of CCL2 in medulloblastoma in vivo is sufficient to drive leptomeningeal dissemination. Hematogenous dissemination of medulloblastoma offers a new opportunity to diagnose and treat lethal disseminated medulloblastoma. Graphical abstract Teaser In addition to disseminating through the cerebrospinal fluid, medulloblastoma can metastasize through circulating tumor cells in the blood, thereby providing a different angle for clinical diagnosis and treatment development.
Source: Cell - Category: Cytology Source Type: research