Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases Due to Non-Small Lung Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

Intradural subarachnoidal metastatic involvement associated with lung cancer is an extremely rare condition in clinical practice. A 61-year-old man presenting with intradural spinal metastasis due to primary lung cancer is described here. The patient was admitted to the emergency department because of vomiting, headache, and gait disturbance. Computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a cerebellar mass lesion on the right hemisphere. The lesion was operated on and removed completely. Thorax computerized tomography showed a mass located in the right lung. The histologic diagnosis was non-small-cell cancer. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed for the primary tumor. Sixteen months after the brain operation, the patient suffered from difficulty of movement in the lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spinal column showed multiple metastatic lesions (cervical 2, thoracic 1 to 2, 5 to 6, and 7 to 8). Palliative radiotherapy to the spinal region was added to the existing treatment, but the patient died during this period. In conclusion, intradural metastasis is an extremely rare condition in patients with lung cancer, but might be seen in the advanced stages of the disease. This rare condition should be taken into consideration, in patients with long survival. © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.