Leptomeningeal metastasis from early glottic laryngeal cancer: A case report

Abstract

Abstract. The present study reports the case of a 53-year-old man with leptomeningeal metastasis from early glottic laryngeal cancer. The patient had been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the glottic larynx 9 years previously. The current symptoms included a recurring headache that had persisted for 1 month and vomiting for 1 week. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of the head revealed multiple enhancing lesions in the brain and multiple line-like enhancements in the brain fold. Computed tomography scans of the head, neck, chest and abdomen showed no nodular lesions. Cytological examination of the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) revealed malignant cells with a scattered distribution pattern. The patient received intra-CSF methotrexate chemotherapy concurrent with whole-brain radiotherapy, which relieved the neurological symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of cytologically-confirmed LM from early glottic laryngeal cancer.

Brain metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a review of the literature in the genomic era

“…Other reported presenting neurological symptoms included vertigo, 16 unilateral weakness, 1 and hypologia in a patient with leptomeningeal metastasis from early glottic laryngeal cancer. 53 A second patient has been reported to have BMs and leptomeningeal disease in the absence of local recurrence or systemic metastases. 55 Some reported cases of HNSCC BMs do, however, occur without neurological symptoms and may only be seen during imaging staging of progressive systemic disease, as seen in a patient with a single, biopsy-confirmed, occipital BM.…”

Prognostic factors in brain metastases from laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Case report and review

“…In one patient, there were multiple brain metastases and a concomitant meningeal metastasis. [ 10 ] In another patient, a brain metastasis and a lesion in the cavernous sinus with involvement of pituitary gland and orbit were reported. [ 15 ] Thus, 42.10% (8/19 cases) of patients with a brain metastasis from laryngeal SCC had a lesion involving the sellar and parasellar regions showing an incidence that seems to be higher compared with how reported for all intracranial metastases in this region (incidence ranging between 0.14% and 28%).…”

“…[ 1 ] Moreover, to our knowledge, only few cases of intracranial metastases from laryngeal SCC have been reported in the literature. [ 2 4 5 10 12 13 14 15 16 ] As a result, it is difficult to collect a wide series of brain metastasis form laryngeal SCC to give indications about the prognosis and the treatment of this condition. Moreover, we cannot find any literature review on this topic.…”