Neurological complications of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy in the world, the most common malignancy in women, and an important cause of global cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Nearly one in eight women living in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Neurological complications are quite common in this population and can arise from the cancer itself or the various treatment modalities, i.e., surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. Ironically, with the continued refinement of anticancer therapies and consequently improved survival afforded patients, the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis has increased, likely reflecting the sanctuary site that the central nervous system provides cancer cells. CNS metastases typically occur in patients with disseminated systemic malignancy, but the CNS may also be the first or isolated site of relapse after systemic disease control is achieved. Metastases in the central and peripheral nervous systems usually carry a poor prognosis, but when breast cancer is the primary cancer, treatment is more likely to afford local control.