INNV-55. Relocating Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD) to the Front: A Proposal on How to Build a Strong Translational Program in LMD from The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute

Abstract Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a dreadful complication from cancer and its incidence is uprising with improved patient survivals from expanding therapies and diagnostic studies. There are no approved treatments for patients with LMD and the patient’s survival is dismal, with modest improved survivals achieved in a handful of clinical trials using immunocellular therapies. Renewed optimism has recently re-surfaced amongst a multidisciplinary group of scientists and clinical experts in LMD, in the hopes to expand venues to improve diagnostic tools, research inclusion, and therapies for patients with LMD. At H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, we have a great multidisciplinary team with join forces to Advance our LMD Program. We will describe our LMD Program infrastructure involving both clinics and research laboratories, and propose approaches to overcome roadblocks inherent to LMD, building upon the different areas that need to be improved, and most importantly following a patient-centered approach with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to coordinate care for these patients.