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Extraneural metastases of central nervous system tumors
Author(s) -
Hoffman Harold J.,
Duffner Patricia K.
Publication year - 1985
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(19851001)56:7+<1778::aid-cncr2820561309>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - medicine , shunting , cerebrospinal fluid , central nervous system , craniotomy , metastasis , complication , shunt (medical) , pathology , surgery , cancer
In the past, extraneural metastasis of central nervous system tumors was considered to be a rare event. However, more recently, a considerable body of literature has accumulated so that to date some 282 patients with extraneural metastases have been reported. Of these reported cases, 40.4% have occurred in children. Although central nervous system tumors can spread spontaneously beyond the confines of the central nervous system, most instances of extraneural metastasis occur after craniotomy or diversionary cerebrospinal fluid shunting. Extraneural metastases are universally fatal. Although it is not curative, chemotherapeutic treatment of metastases may greatly decrease the patient's discomfort and improve the quality and duration of survival. Every effort should be made to prevent this complication by avoiding diversionary cerebrospinal fluid shunting procedures or by incorporating a filtering device if a shunt becomes necessary. Cancer 56: 1778‐1782, 1985.