Extracranial metastasis of a brain tumor

Extracranial metastasis of brain tumors is a rare phenomenon. No more than 200 pathomorphologically verified cases have been reported in the world literature. According to these data, extracranial metastasis is relatively common among patients with medulloblastomas of the brain, while glioblastomas metastasize less frequently. The primary focus may be in any of the brain lobes, but the temporal and occipital lobes are the most frequently mentioned. Metastasis more often occurs by hematogenous dissemination through the veins of the spinal cord, which connect the cerebral venous system with the veins of internal organs. Much less often tumor cells from the primary focus pass beyond the blood-brain barrier via lymphatic tracts. Metastases are found in lymph nodes, bones, muscles, lungs, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, and other organs. Extracranial metastasis usually occurs in patients who have undergone one or more surgical interventions for brain tumors.