A Case Study on Pharmacokinetics of Methotrexate(MTX)in Serum and CSF in a Patient with Pancytopenia Following Intraventricular Administration of MTX

In general intraventricular administration of cytotox‑ ic antitumor drugs provide high drug concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) with a reduced risk of systemic adverse reactions. In the intraventricular chemotherapy however a few anticancer drugs are routinely utilized. Methotrexate(MTX)is one of the most commonly used antitumor drugs and its intra‑ venticular treatment(intra‑CSF MTX)serves as the standard chemotherapy for carcinomatous meningitis or prophylaxis of central leukemia relapse in acute lymphocytic leukemia treatment. In carcinomatous meningitis intra‑CSF MTX is performed as a palliative care to relieve the symptoms whereas dosage and administration schedules of MTX treatment have been usually decided based on symptoms appeared in each patient. In this study we experienced a case with pan‑ cytopenia following an intra‑CSF MTX administration; once 15 mg twice a week for four times in total