Premium
Spinal subarachnoid metastasis from primary intracranial glioblastoma multiforme
Author(s) -
Erlich Stephanie S.,
Davis Richard L.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197812)42:6<2854::aid-cncr2820420647>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - medicine , glioblastoma , autopsy , subarachnoid space , metastasis , cancer , metastatic lesion , pathology , cerebrospinal fluid , radiology , cancer research
Twenty‐five patients with glioblastoma multiforme were autopsied at our institution in 7 years. Spinal cords were examined in 20 and 5 were found to have spinal leptomeningeal metastases. Clinical and neuropathological findings of these 5 patients are presented and factors possibly influencing such spread are analyzed. Review of previous studies of intracranical glioblastomas discloses only 14 reported cases with spinal leptomeningeal metastases confirmed at autopsy since 1931. We conclude that spinal leptomeningeal metastases in glioblastoma multiforme are a common occurrence. These findings are of little significance at present with our poor success at control of the primary lesion. Frequency of involvement of the spinal subarachnoid space will be significant, when we are able to better treat the primary tumor. Knowledge of the significant possibility of this phenomenon will allow earlier and more frequent clinical diagnosis. Cancer 42:2854–2864, 1978.