Primary intramedullary glioblastoma multiforme of the spinal cord: report of eight cases (original) (raw)

An extremely rare case of glioblastoma multiforme of the spinal cord

Medicina, 2013

Being the most common glial cell tumor of the adult brain, primary glioblastoma multiforme is an extremely rare but excessively devastating condition of the spinal cord. It presents with indistinctive magnetic resonance imaging findings, so the diagnosis is very complicated to make. A low-grade glioma may undergo a malignant transformation into glioblastoma multiforme in a very short period, critically impairing treatment possibilities and prognosis, so a correct and timely diagnosis is crucial. We report a case of intramedullary glioblastoma multiforme in a young man and describe the diagnostic difficulties and devastating progression of the entity.

Primary spinal cord glioblastoma multiforme: A report of two cases

Neurology India, 2012

MRI findings of CG. In the present case, CG was not considered in the list of imaging differentials because of its extreme rarity in the sphenoid sinus. CG of the sphenoid sinus is of clinical significance due to its granulomatous nature, unlike mucocele and other expansile T1W hyperintense lesions. It can cause erosion and destruction of the bone of origin and invasion of the adjacent vital structures with resultant symptoms and complications as seen in its usual location in the temporal bone. [4] Endoscopic drainage is now the safe and effective treatment. In conclusion CG should be included in the differential diagnosis of T1W hyperintense expansile lesion of the sphenoid sinus. It may be difficult to differentiate CG from other expansile T1W hyperintense lesions in the absence of characteristic MRI findings.

Primary glioblastoma multiforme of the medulla spinalis: a report of three cases and review of the literature

Turkish Neurosurgery, 2012

Primary spinal glioblastoma multiforme (spinal GBM) is not a very common entity. This paper presents an outline of this rare neoplasm, its clinical presentation, course, management and outcome and reports a 3-case series of spinal GBM. In this 3-case series with spinal GBM, one of the patients was operated for hydrocephalous 10 months later following the tumor surgery and another patient had cerebral metastasis after the surgery. In the postoperative period, two of the cases received radiotherapy and one received combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy with steroid therapy together following the tumor surgery. The review of the pertinent literature has revealed that due to the scarcity of the reported cases of primary spinal GBMs, this issue requires a closer look. GBM behaves more aggressive in medulla spinalis than it behaves when it originates from cerebrum. It may disseminate to the cerebrum during its course and it may cause hydrocephalus due to this dissemination (metastasis).

Primary glioblastoma of the medulla spinalis: a report of three cases and review of the literature

Turkish neurosurgery, 2013

Primary spinal glioblastoma multiforme (spinal GBM) is not a very common entity. This paper presents an outline of this rare neoplasm, its clinical presentation, course, management and outcome and reports a 3-case series of spinal GBM. In this 3-case series with spinal GBM, one of the patients was operated for hydrocephalous 10 months later following the tumor surgery and another patient had cerebral metastasis after the surgery. In the postoperative period, two of the cases received radiotherapy and one received combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy with steroid therapy together following the tumor surgery. The review of the pertinent literature has revealed that due to the scarcity of the reported cases of primary spinal GBMs, this issue requires a closer look. GBM behaves more aggressive in medulla spinalis than it behaves when it originates from cerebrum. It may disseminate to the cerebrum during its course and it may cause hydrocephalus due to this dissemination (metastasis).

Spinal glioblastoma multiforme of the conus medullaris with holocordal and intracranial spread in a child: a case report and review of the literature

The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 2012

Spinal glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a rare clinical entity. According to our review of the literature, only 15 cases of spinal GBM originating from the conus medullaris (CM) have been reported. Furthermore, there has been no case of spinal GBM originating from the CM with holocordal and intracranial involvements, which were already present at the time of initial diagnosis. Despite a variety of treatments, the previous studies have uniformly reported poor results of this lethal condition. The present report illustrates a 10-year-old girl with spinal GBM with rare involvement pattern, that is, the tumor originating from the CM with the holocordal and intracranial involvements, undergoing a novel chemotherapy regimen. A case report and review of literature. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with gadolinium enhancement clearly revealed holocordal and intracranial lesions, which were otherwise unidentifiable by plane MR imaging. Open biopsy was performed. After histologic diagnosis, no...

Primary spinal glioblastoma: A case report and review of the literature

Oncology letters, 2013

Primary spinal glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare disease, with an aggressive course and a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 19-year-old male with a 4-week history of progressive weakness in both lower limbs, which progressed to paraparesis with a left predominance and difficulty in initiating urination over a week. Spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an intramedullary expansile mass localised between T6 and T11. We performed a laminotomy and laminoplasty between T6 and T11 and the tumour was partially removed. Histopathological study was compatible with GBM. The patient was administered focal spine radiotherapy with chemotherapy with temozolamide. Serial MRI performed after the initial surgery demonstrated enlargement of the enhancing mass from T3 to T12 and subarachnoid metastatic deposits in C2 and C4, the pituitary stalk, inter-peduncular cistern, left superior cerebellar peduncle and hydrocephalus. We review the literature with regard to the disease and treatment option...

Systematic review of primary intracranial glioblastoma multiforme with symptomatic spinal metastases, with two illustrative patients

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 2012

Glioblastoma multiforme is a malignant tumour with a universally fatal diagnosis. We report two patients with glioblastoma with symptomatic metastasis to the spinal cord and perform a systematic review all 35 reports of symptomatic glioblastoma dissemination to the spinal leptomeninges and/or intramedullary spinal axis. Our analysis of the data shows a median time to spinal metastasis of 10 months and a median time of three months from spinal metastasis to death. Treatments described include palliative laminectomies, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. No treatment strategy offered a therapeutic advantage as patients deteriorated rapidly regardless of intervention. Patients who underwent only a biopsy for intracranial glioblastoma had a shorter time to development of spinal metastasis. In addition, there may be an association between intramedullary metastasis and shorter survival. This paper highlights the importance of considering symptomatic spinal dissemination in glioblastoma multiforme. We also review the incidence and postulate mechanisms of tumour dissemination in the central nervous system. Clearly, further research into radiotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic options in this clinical setting is required.

Symptomatic spinal cord metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme

Symptomatic spinal cord metastasis from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has rarely been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 27-year-old man who presented with back and bilateral leg pain nine months after the primary diagnosis of intracranial GBM. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine showed a L1-L2 tumor that was removed successfully and histopathological examination was consistent with GBM metastasis. Spinal metastasis should be investigated and included in the differential diagnosis in a patient with a previous history of intracranial GBM presenting with spinal symptoms.