Case report and review of literature: leptomeningeal relapse in epithelial ovarian cancer.

The diagnosis of leptomeningeal relapse in a patient with epithelial ovarian cancer was confirmed by the presence of malignant ovarian cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. There was no clinical evidence of tumor spread elsewhere. Therapy, including intrathecal methotrexate and whole-brain irradiation led to transient clinical improvement. International literature review revealed only 13 other cases of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in epithelial ovarian cancer; all died within 15 months following the diagnosis of leptomeningeal spread.