Cerebral metastasis from ovarian cancer treated with a multidisciplinary approach. Case report and review of literature

• Published in: European journal of gynaecological oncology Vol. 24; no. 6; p. 563
• Main Authors: Porzio, G, Ronzino, G, Farina, E, Aielli, F, Ficorella, C, Marchetti, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Italy 2003
• Subjects: Adult; Brain Neoplasms - diagnosis; Brain Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Brain Neoplasms - secondary; Brain Neoplasms - surgery; Combined Modality Therapy; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous - diagnosis; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous - radiotherapy; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous - secondary; Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous - surgery; Female; Humans; Neoplasm Metastasis; Ovarian Neoplasms - pathology; Ovarian Neoplasms - surgery; Patient Care Team; Radiation Dosage; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Telencephalon
• ISSN: 0392-2936

Brain metastases from ovarian cancer are rare. A review of five autopsy studies reported brain metastases in 4% of 712 patients who died with a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. The prognosis is very poor and a consensus on the standard treatment is not available. We report the case of a patient who developed a solitary brain metastasis as single evidence of relapse, 26 months after the first diagnosis of ovarian cancer. A temporo-parietal craniotomy with excision of the mass and whole brain radiotherapy were performed. The patient is free of disease five months after radiotherapy completion. Also in patients suffering from neoplasms that rarely metastasize to CNS, a careful clinical examination may help to diagnose uncommon sites of disease relapse.