Intracranial metastasis from primary spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumor

Abstract

Primary spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) are rare tumors, with only 94 cases reported till date. Metastasis to brain from a spinal PNET is even rarer. In the present report, we evaluate the pathology and treatment of solitary intracranial metastasis from spinal PNET in a 22-year-old female who presented with headache and left hemiparesis and was diagnosed to have right parietal parasagittal tumor. She has been previously diagnosed to have cervicothoracic primary spinal PNET, and was treated by surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy seven years back. The intracranial tumor has been removed and pathological examination confirmed as PNET. She received radiotherapy and chemotherapy with ifosfamide and etoposide, following surgery for the right parietal PNET. At 20 months follow-up, patient is stable and has no recurrence of the disease. Critical review of reported cases of primary spinal PNET metastsising to brain was done.