Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastasis: Case Report.
- Author:
Ji Woong YANG
1
;
Jung Il LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jilee@smc.samsung.co.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Intramedullary metastasis;
Breast cancer;
Melanoma
- MeSH:
Breast Neoplasms;
Early Diagnosis;
Humans;
Laminectomy;
Melanoma;
Neoplasm Metastasis*;
Paraparesis;
Prognosis;
Spinal Cord*;
Spine
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2003;33(4):422-424
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The authors report two cases of intramedullary metastasis from breast cancer and melanoma respectively. Both patients presented with rapidly progressing paraparesis. They were treated by laminectomy with microsurgical extirpation of the tumor and whole spine irradiation. The patient with melanoma died at 3 months postoperatively and the other with breast cancer is still alive for 40 months after being diagnosed of spinal cord metastasis. The prognosis of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis is known to be poor, however, early diagnosis and radical surgery before irreVersible deterioration of neurologic status can prolong functional survival.
