Central Nervous System Metastases in Patients With Cervical Carcinoma

Cervical cancer (CC) is the most common malignancy throughout developing countries, although considered rare, central nervous system metastasis (CNSm) does occur.

This study aimed to describe our experiences and compare them to other published cases.

From May 2009 to August 2015, the files of all patients with CC treated at our referral center were reviewed.

We found 27 patients with CC and CNSm. Mean age at the time of CNS diagnosis was 50 ± 11 years, mean interval between initial CC and CNSm was 46 months; the most frequent initial International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage was IIB with 17 patients followed by IB in 4. Fifty-nine percent of patients had lung metastases at the time CNSm were diagnosed. Headache was the most common symptom, followed by weakness, altered mental status, and ataxia/cerebellar. Mean survival was 8.2 months after CNSm was discovered; 3 patients are still alive.

The present study describes the largest series of patients with CNSm from CC; this rare complication should be suspected in patients with CC who present with headache, ataxia, cranial nerve palsy, visual disturbance, altered mental status, focal weakness, or other neurological symptom, without other plausible explanation.