Extracranial metastasis of intracranial tumor--review of literatures and report of a case.

Abstract

There have been only two cases reported of intracranial tumor with extracranial metastasis through an artificial channel. The authors present another valid example of glioblastoma with distant metastases through a ventriculopleural shunt to the right thorax. With the review of the cases reported in the literature, they discuss such points as type of tumor, site of metastasis, survivial time, and latent period from onset, from operation, and from irradiation to an evidence of metastasis. The followings are considered: the long survival may certainly play a role but may be unnecessary for occurrence of extracranial metastases; surgical procedure and/or irradiation play an important role in glioblastoma; the bone is the most favored site of metastasis and the three major locations, namely bones, lung and pleura, and lymph nodes consist of more than three‐fourth of all metastatic sites; the metastatic ratio and its index are proposed by the authors for further discussion; there are many factors concerning the occurrence of extracranial metastases of intracranial tumors, but some factors are merely theoretical.