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A 74 year-old man with known lung cancer presented with gait ataxia and progressive headaches over two weeks. |
Metastatic Brain Tumor (Lung Cancer):
(Left) T1-weighted
axial MRI; (Right) T1-weighted with gadolinium axial MRI. Note the large
enhancing tumors located in the left cerebellum and left temporal lobe.
Both were metastatic lung tumors. Metastatic disease from primary
tumors elsewhere in the body account for approximately 50% of all
brain tumors. Metastases to the brain are nearly always via the
blood stream. They are typically found at the junctions between the
gray and white matter, which are highly vascular. Metastatic lesions
commonly present with focal or focal to generalized seizures or
slowly progressive neurological deficits. When the lesions become
very large, signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure
develop (i.e., headache, lethargy, nausea and vomiting). The most
common primary tumors that metastasize to the brain are lung and
breast. Other tumors may also spread to the brain, including
melanoma, lymphoma, GI, and GU cancers. In some cases, it is the
metastatic lesion in the brain, and not the primary tumor, that
brings the patient to medical attention. |
Revised
11/29/06.
Copyrighted 2006. David C Preston