Asymptomatic cerebellopontine angle and lateral ventricle metastases from renal cell carcinoma: case report and literature review

Solitary Metastasis of Adenocarcinoma of Submandibular Gland to Choroid Plexus in Cerebellopontine Angle: First Case Reported in Literature

BACKGROUND

Adenocarcinoma of the salivary gland (AdCASG) is a rare and malignant tumor of the salivary glands. Albeit, metastatic lesions occur anecdotally in the choroid plexus and most rarely in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). We report the first case of metastatic AdCASG to the choroid plexus of the lateral recess of the fourth ventricle located in CPA, emphasizing the clinical presentation and neuroradiologic findings.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 40-year-old man was referred with signs of increased intracranial pressure and a unilateral hearing problem. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a pear-shaped, vividly enhancing tumor in the left CPA. The tumor was a metastatic AdCASG. Gross total resection of the lesion was followed by a conventional radiotherapy lead in a 5-year tumor-free control interval.

CONCLUSIONS

Metastatic lesions to the choroid plexus may show a pedunculated shape in magnetic resonance imaging. It is hypothesized that tumor seeding may occur through the veins, lymphatics, and nerve sheaths in the skull base region. Tissue specimen is necessary to confirm such rare pathology.

Renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the cerebellopontine cistern: intraoperative Onyx embolization via direct needle puncture

We report a rare case of a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastasis occupying the cerebellopontine and cerebellomedullary cisterns, and describe an alternative strategy for embolizing hypervascular intracranial tumors. A middle aged patient with a distant history of RCC presented with headaches, nausea, and vomiting, and was found to have an enhancing mass in the left cerebellopontine and cerebellopontine cisterns. The initial surgical resection was aborted due to excessive bleeding. After an unsuccessful attempt at intra-arterial embolization, the patient returned to the operating room and the tumor was devascularized by direct needle puncture Onyx embolization under biplane fluoroscopy. The devascularized tumor was then successfully dissected from the brainstem and adherent lower cranial nerves. In properly selected cases, open surgical direct needle puncture embolization of intracranial vascular tumors under biplane fluoroscopy is a viable alternative devascularization method.

Renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the cerebellopontine cistern: intraoperative Onyx embolization via direct needle puncture

We report a rare case of a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastasis occupying the cerebellopontine and cerebellomedullary cisterns, and describe an alternative strategy for embolizing hypervascular intracranial tumors. A middle aged patient with a distant history of RCC presented with headaches, nausea, and vomiting, and was found to have an enhancing mass in the left cerebellopontine and cerebellopontine cisterns. The initial surgical resection was aborted due to excessive bleeding. After an unsuccessful attempt at intra-arterial embolization, the patient returned to the operating room and the tumor was devascularized by direct needle puncture Onyx embolization under biplane fluoroscopy. The devascularized tumor was then successfully dissected from the brainstem and adherent lower cranial nerves. In properly selected cases, open surgical direct needle puncture embolization of intracranial vascular tumors under biplane fluoroscopy is a viable alternative devascularization method.

Clinical features and surgical management of four peculiar cases of intracranial metastases from renal cell carcinoma

Intracranial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is rare. In this study, four patients (age range 56-72 years) were treated for intracranial metastases from renal cell carcinoma. The metastasis was solitary in all four patients and was located in the temporoparietal region in two patients, cerebellum in one patient, and bilateral lateral ventricles in one patient. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed hemorrhage and necrosis in the tumor in all four patients, and one patient had edema in the region of the tumor. All patients were treated with craniotomy for tumor resection, and histopathologic examination showed clear cell carcinoma. Marked bleeding occurred in all patients during the operation, but preoperative direct injection of ethanol into epidural metastases (2 patients) was effective in decreasing intraoperative blood loss. Prognosis was poor with limited survival time (range 2 weeks-45 months), but prognosis was best in the two patients who were treated with postoperative radiation therapy and chemotherapy (survival times 26 and 45 months). To our knowledge, this is the largest report of four uncommon intracranial metastases from RCC in Chinese patients. In summary, intracranial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracranial tumor because of the high risk of bleeding and poor prognosis.