Ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus caused by central nervous system metastasis

The development of better diagnostic tools and therapeutic modalities has increased the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis in malignant tumor patients. Hydrocephalus can result from CNS metastasis and frustrate cancer treatment. The authors sought to investigate the outcomes and the roles of ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) in patients with CNS metastasis. The medical records of 50 consecutive patients who underwent VPS for hydrocephalus related to CNS metastasis were analyzed retrospectively. Data included features of primary malignancies, CNS involvement, clinical course and surgical outcome. Median patient age was 55.0 years (range 25–77), and 30 female and 20 male patients were included in the study. At the time of VPS, 10 patients had parenchymal metastases only and 40 patients had leptomeningeal seeding (LMS). Symptom improvement was observed postoperatively in 40 patients (80%), mean Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scale change was from 37.8 to 46.0, and median survival from VPS was 3.0 months (2 days to 54 months). A ventricular opening pressure of >30 cmH₂O (HR 6.44, 95% CI 1.26–32.9, P = 0.02) and further cancer treatment after VPS (HR 0.17, 95% CI 0.07–0.42, P < 0.0001) were found to be independent risk factors of poorer and better survival, respectively. Hydrocephalus in CNS metastasis requiring VPS is commonly associated with LMS. VPS is an effective palliative measure and an adequate cancer treatment after VPS may provide the best means of improving survival.