What Is Intrathecal Chemotherapy?

Intrathecal chemotherapy is a treatment for cancer that involves injecting chemotherapy drugs directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which bathes the brain and spinal cord. This type of chemotherapy is used to treat cancers that have spread to the central nervous system (CNS), such as leukemia, lymphoma, and medulloblastoma.

Intrathecal chemotherapy is administered through a lumbar puncture, in which a needle is inserted into the lower back to reach the CSF. The chemotherapy drugs are then injected into the CSF, where they can reach and kill cancer cells in the CNS.

Intrathecal chemotherapy is a very effective treatment for CNS cancers, but it can also have serious side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and seizures. These side effects are usually temporary and go away once the treatment is completed.

Intrathecal chemotherapy is typically used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation therapy and systemic chemotherapy. The goal of treatment is to kill all of the cancer cells in the CNS and to prevent the cancer from coming back.