Cerebellar metastases: diagnostic and management considerations

Prompted by several unsatisfactory outcomes, we reviewed the records of 59 patients with cerebellar metastases (26 solitary) with respect to clinical presentation, diagnosis, and natural history. Eighty-seven percent of patients initially complained of headache, gait disturbance, and/or dizziness. At time of diagnosis, 92% of patients with solitary cerebellar metastases and 74% of the overall series complained of headache and/or difficulty walking. In three of four cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was superior to x-ray computed tomography (CT) in detecting the cerebellar lesions. Several patients acutely deteriorated during evaluation or at the initiation of radiation therapy. We conclude that a cancer patient presenting with headache and gait difficulty with or without nausea/vomiting and dizziness should promptly undergo head CT scanning, and that MRI is useful even if CT is negative. In addition, we recommend that patients with documented cerebellar metastases receive high-dose glucocorticoid therapy for 48 to 72 hours before beginning radiation therapy. The presence of symptomatic hydrocephalus or failure to respond to glucocorticoids initially are particularly ominous features that may be best managed by early neurosurgical consultation before beginning radiation therapy.