Intramedullary spinal cord metastases of melanoma.

Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCMs) are extremely rare. An exact diagnosis may be difficult even when the primary tumour is known. Patients usually present with back pain and signs and symptoms of spinal cord compression, such as hemiparesis or hemisensory impairments. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered to be the main diagnostic tool for intramedullary lesions as it is very sensitive, but non-specific, in distinguishing between ISCMs and primary cord tumours. Optimal treatment in patients with ISCMs remains controversial. We report a case of ISCMs of melanoma, with a review of the clinical and radiological characteristics of these medullary lesions and their prognosis, as well as the different therapeutic approaches.

[1]  C. Conill,et al.  Predicción de la supervivencia en los pacientes con cáncer avanzado , 2003 .

[2]  S. Puig,et al.  Respuesta completa de metástasis cerebrales de melanoma a radioterapia y temozolomida , 2002 .

[3]  M. Pantaleo,et al.  Treatment of brain metastases of malignant melanoma with temozolomide. , 2001, The New England journal of medicine.

[4]  S. Mehdi,et al.  Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCM) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC): clinical patterns, diagnosis and therapeutic considerations. , 2001, Lung cancer.

[5]  W. Hassler,et al.  Microsurgical treatment of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. , 1998, Neurologia medico-chirurgica.

[6]  B. O'neill,et al.  Intramedullary spinal cord metastases , 1996, Neurology.

[7]  E. Connolly,et al.  Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: report of three cases and review of the literature. , 1996, Surgical neurology.

[8]  T. Yamasaki,et al.  Primary spinal intramedullary malignant melanoma: case report. , 1989, Neurosurgery.

[9]  M. Winkelman,et al.  Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis. A clinicopathological study of 13 cases. , 1985, Journal of neurosurgery.

[10]  J. Chason,et al.  Metastatic carcinoma in the central nervous system and dorsal root ganglia. A prospective autopsy study , 1963, Cancer.

[11]  C. Conill,et al.  [Prognostic accuracy of survival in patients with advanced cancer]. , 2003, Medicina clínica (Ed. impresa).

[12]  S. Puig,et al.  [Complete response of cerebral metastasic melanoma after a combined treatment of radiotherapy and temozolomide]. , 2002, Medicina clínica (Ed. impresa).

[13]  R. Amin.  Intramedullary spinal metastasis from carcinoma of the cervix. , 1999, The British journal of radiology.

[14]  W. Dressler,et al.  Report of Three Cases and Review of Literature , 1954 .