[Spinal seeding metastasis of a WHO grade III oligo-astrocytoma].

Abstract

: 3 1/2 years after two operations and radiation therapy of a biparietally, parasagittaly localised grade III oligoastrocytoma, a 34-year-old patient developed symptoms of the spinal cord. By performing magnetic resonance tomography and laminectomy, multiple metastases of the anaplastic part of the primary tumour could be identified. Spinal seedings of a tumour of this grading are even rarer than those sporadically reported on corresponding complications of a multiform glioblastoma. Risk factors for the development of such a complication are youth of the patient, primary site of the tumour near the midline and anaplastic parts of the tumour in adults. If such a constellation exists, one should definitely consider the possibility of a spinal seeding in a grade III glioma, especially because in these younger patients thus would be of greater relevance for therapy than in patients with multiform glioblastoma.