Unusual Presentation of a Primary Ewing's Sarcoma of the Spine with Paraplegia: A Case Report

Unusual Presentation of Thoracic Epidural Ewing Sarcoma in a 20-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report

The aim of this case report is to present a rare case of epidural Ewing sarcoma with spinal cord compression, which is an uncommon presentation of this tumor. Ewing's sarcoma is a primary malignant tumor predominantly affecting individuals in their second decade of life, primarily impacting those aged 10 to 25, with the average age of onset being around 20 years. Epidemiological studies reveal that this cancer most commonly arises in the diaphyses of the long tubular bones in the lower extremities. Spinal involvement, however, is exceedingly uncommon. A case of sacral type of Ewing's sarcoma, with the most common localization of the primary spinal sarcomas and an extremely aggressive course, has been described in the literature. Other localizations of Ewing's sarcoma located in other areas of the spine are also presented. Even rarer are cases in which the tumor formation is located epidurally and exhibits marked medullary compression and absent neurological symptoms. We present the case of a 20-year-old patient who was admitted to the neurology department with symptoms of lower flaccid paraparesis and pelvic-reservoir dysfunction, specifically urinary retention for 16-17 hours, after which a catheter was added. MRI revealed an epidural tumor spanning TH5-TH7 vertebral levels, causing significant spinal cord compression. A CT scan of the chest identified a tumor on the left side at the level of the sixth rib, featuring soft tissue involvement, rib destruction, lung invasion, and a small pleural effusion. Due to the critical neurological symptoms, the patient underwent emergency surgery in the neurosurgical department, which included thoracic laminectomies, maximal possible tumor resection, and effective spinal cord decompression. Postoperative period was uneventful. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of Ewing's epidural sarcoma. The patient subsequently received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Six months post-treatment, the patient demonstrated a satisfactory overall condition with significant improvement in gait and continues to undergo chemotherapy courses.

"An unusual presentation of a sacral Ewing's sarcoma in a young Syrian female"

A primary spinal Ewing sarcoma is extremely rare to be found. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first reported case for bilateral foot drop as a prodromal symptom of sacral Ewing sarcoma. The case, we are presenting, is of an 18-year-old athletic female, who was presented to the emergency department suffering from sudden severe low back pain radiated to the lower limbs, associated with bilateral foot drop and later urinary incontinence. Following the indicated surgery and subsequent histopathology study, we diagnosed this rare type of tumors. In the following article, we are describing the clinical presenting features of this tumor and discussing the clinical aspects.

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Sacral primary Ewing's sarcoma is a rare tumor.

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Diagnosis of sacral Ewing's sarcoma is quite challenging.

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Isolated back pain should be investigated widely.

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Bilateral foot drop may be noticed as a prodromal symptom in sacral Ewing sarcomas.