Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastasis: Case Report

ABSTRACT

The authors report two cases of intramedullary metastasis from breast cancer and melanoma respectively. Both patients presented with rapidly progressing paraparesis. They were treated by laminectomy with microsurgical extirpation of the tumor and whole spine irradiation. The patient with melanoma died at 3 months postoperatively and the other with breast cancer is still alive for 40 months after being diagnosed of spinal cord metastasis. The prognosis of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis is known to be poor, however, early diagnosis and radical surgery before irreVersible deterioration of neurologic status can prolong functional survival.