Journal de neuro-oncologie et de neurosciences Libre accès

Abstrait

Medulloblastoma occurring 7 months after the diagnosis of a primary spinal tumor: A case report

Rose Daynielle A Cansanay

Medulloblastoma is the most common primary malignant solid tumor in children. These are invasive, and rapidly growing intracranial tumors that spread through the cerebrospinal fluid and frequently metastasize to the brain, spinal cord and other extraneural locations. We report an adolescent male who presented as progressive lower extremity weakness and numbness. The initial lesions were seen at the lower cervical and upper thoracic spine. Biopsy of the tumor was not done and the patient underwent radiotherapy. Months after the initial presentation, the patient presented with signs of increased intracranial pressure. Neuroimaging revealed a posterior fossa tumor which was consistent with medulloblastoma WHO Grade IV on biopsy. Several atypical presentations of medulloblastoma have been reported but to our knowledge, this is the first case of medulloblastoma that appeared months after a spinal tumor was detected. The question remains if this is a different tumor from medulloblastoma, or an extensive spinal metastasis from a posterior fossa tumor that was not detected in the initial MRI.