Cerebrospinal fluid protein levels are elevated 100 times in a Leptomeningeal metastasis patient: a case report and literature review

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) has a high degree of malignancy and high mortality. We describe a patient admitted to hospital with acute lower extremity weakness, dysuria, and high intracranial pressure. Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed extensive enhancement of the leptomeningeal and spinal meninges with multiple nodular changes and extensive fusion. His cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was yellow and cloudy, the Pandy test was strongly positive (++++), the protein was 46 g/L (normal range 0.15–0.45 g/L), which attracted our attention. Initially, miliary TB with associated tuberculous meningitis (TBM) was diagnosed, and neurosarcoidosis cannot be ruled out. After poor therapeutic effect of standard antituberculosis (anti-TB) therapy, further inspection found that malignant cells were detected by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology. PET/CT suggested the diagnosis of LM. The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of atypical diffuse LM. In conclusion, when patient with unexplained high levels of CSF protein, it is necessary to be alert to the diagnosis of LM. Multiple examinations of fresh CSF are helpful to increase the positive detection rate of tumor cells. Early diagnosis and active treatment are conducive to improving survival rate.