Brain metastases from thyroid carcinoma : studies of cases

Full text: Introduction: Because brain metastasis from well differentiated thyroid carcinoma is rare, management of patients presenting with this condition lacks consensus. A recent review of the literature found 17 reports of 75 cases from 1966-2001 in which 28 metastasis were from the brain, 5 from the spinal cord, 2 to both brain and spinal cord, We report our 5 cases with a focus on the last patient. Clinical presentation: A 66-year-old female treated by us for the past 10 years for papillary carcinoma of the thyroid with metastasis to bone. She presented in July 2003 with sudden onset of seizure. A non contrast CT scan demonstrated a solitary lesion in the right anterior high parietal region with a possible second lesion. Intervention: She underwent right frontal craniotomy to expose superior sagittal sinus. An inter-hemispheric approach demonstrated a tumor in the supra-meningeal gyrus that was attached to the calloso-meningeal artery. The histopathology of the surgical specimen confirmed a follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid. She then received 11100 MBq 1-131 irradiation, Conclusion: the best therapeutic option for brain metastasis seems to be surgical resection with or without post operative Irradiation with 1-131. Central nervous system metastasis should always be investigated and treated aggressively to improve patients' long term outcome. (author)