Open AccessMetachronous brain and intramedullary spinal cord metastases from nonsmall‐cell lung cancer: A case report
Author(s) -
Liu WenChih,
Chung ChiaLi,
Chai CheeYin,
Tan LiaBeng,
Wang ChihJen,
Kwan AijLie
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the kaohsiung journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.439
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2410-8650
pISSN - 1607-551X
DOI - 10.1016/j.kjms.2011.11.008
Subject(s) - medicine , intramedullary rod , radiation therapy , laminectomy , surgery , lung cancer , spinal cord , paralysis , adenocarcinoma , chemotherapy , cancer , oncology , psychiatry
A 44‐year‐old man had a brain tumor secondary to lung adenocarcinoma and underwent craniectomy to remove the brain tumor. After postoperative whole‐brain radiation therapy, he underwent pneumonectomy followed by chemotherapy, mediastinal radiotherapy, and target therapy for lung cancer. Thirty‐six months after the initial brain surgery, he suffered from neck pain and right upper limb numbness that rapidly progressed to upper extremity weakness and paralysis in 2 months. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an intramedullary spinal cord lesion at the C4 level. Laminectomy and gross intramedullary tumor removal were performed. The patient's neurological function improved after the operation. Nevertheless, 4 months after the intramedullary tumor removal, he began to show multiple metastases. Unfortunately, the patient died from respiratory failure 8 months after diagnosis with intramedullary spinal cord metastasis. In this case, early diagnosis and aggressive surgical treatment combined with postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy might have provided this patient with a prolonged survival and better quality of life.