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[Spinal cord metastasis from prostate cancer]
Khadija Jalali1, Denis Chautard, Pierre Racineux
1Service de Radiothérapie, Centre Paul Papin, Angers, France. jalali27@yahoo.fr
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of carcinomatous myelitis in a patient with advanced prostate cancer. Intramedullary spinal cord metastases, though uncommon, carry a grave prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Prostate cancer commonly metastasizes to the spine, typically causing extradural compression.
- Intradural spinal cord metastases, including intramedullary types, are exceptionally rare occurrences.
Observation:
- A 50-year-old man with advanced metastatic prostate cancer developed leg pain and flaccid paraplegia despite treatment.
- Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed features suggestive of carcinomatous myelitis in the cervicothoracic region.
- The patient's condition rapidly declined, leading to death without histological confirmation.
Findings:
- This case represents a probable instance of carcinomatous myelitis secondary to prostate cancer, specifically an intramedullary metastasis.
- The patient presented with neurological deficits 9 months post-diagnosis, despite receiving endocrine therapy, radiotherapy, corticosteroids, and chemotherapy.
- This appears to be the first reported case of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from prostate cancer in the medical literature.
Implications:
- Intramedullary spinal cord metastases, irrespective of the primary tumor, are associated with a very poor prognosis.
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare metastatic patterns in advanced prostate cancer.
- Further research may be needed to understand the mechanisms and optimal management of such rare presentations.