Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1973 Dec;26(12):929–935. doi: 10.1136/jcp.26.12.929

Metastasizing ependymoma of the cauda equina

D G D Wight 1,2,1, K J Holley 1,2,2, J A H Finbow 1,2
PMCID: PMC477933  PMID: 4784501

Abstract

A case of metastasizing ependymoma is described, only the second in the British literature. The tumour, which arose in the cauda equina, spread to humerus and pleura over a period of 32 years. It is postulated that, in common with most of the previously reported cases, dissemination was a direct consequence of either surgical intervention or radiotherapy since neither the primary tumour nor its metastases shows any of the conventional morphological criteria of malignancy. The literature of similar cases is briefly reviewed.

Full text

PDF
929

Images in this article

931Image
on p.931
932Image
on p.932
932Image
on p.932
933Image
on p.933
933Image
on p.933

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson M. S. Myxopapillary ependymomas presenting in the soft tissue over the sacrococcygeal region. Cancer. 1966 Apr;19(4):585–590. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196604)19:4<585::aid-cncr2820190418>3.0.co;2-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BRESLICH P. J. Ependymoma of the right occipital lobe with death from extracranial metastases. J Lancet. 1957 Mar;77(3):99–103. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. FEIGIN E., VOLK B. W. Malignant ependymoma infiltrating the scalp. AMA Arch Pathol. 1951 Apr;51(4):466–471. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fragoyannis S., Yalcin S. Ependymomas with distant metastases. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature. Cancer. 1966 Feb;19(2):246–256. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(196602)19:2<246::aid-cncr2820190217>3.0.co;2-o. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GLASAUER F. E., YUAN R. H. INTRACRANIAL TUMORS WITH EXTRACRANIAL METASTASES. CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. J Neurosurg. 1963 Jun;20:474–493. doi: 10.3171/jns.1963.20.6.0474. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hojgaard K., Johansen A. A case of ependymoma with remote metastasis. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Suppl. 1970;212(Suppl):198+–198+. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. MAASS L. Occipital ependymoma with extracranial metastases. J Neurosurg. 1954 Jul;11(4):413–421. doi: 10.3171/jns.1954.11.4.0413. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. MACMAHON H. E., URISTA M. S. THE SPREAD OF AN EPENDYMOMA FROM THE BRAIN TO THE LUNGS. Am J Surg. 1964 May;107:765–768. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(64)90309-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. PATTERSON R. H., Jr, CAMPBELL W. G., Jr, PARSONS H. Ependymoma of the cauda equina with multiple visceral metastases. Report of a case. J Neurosurg. 1961 Mar;18:145–150. doi: 10.3171/jns.1961.18.2.0145. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. PERRIN E. V. Extracranial metastases from intracranial gliomata; report of two cases in children. Am J Clin Pathol. 1958 Sep;30(3):244–251. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/30.3.244. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. PERRY R. E., Jr Extracranial metastasis in a case of intracranial ependymoma. AMA Arch Pathol. 1957 Sep;64(3):337–341. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Robinson E. F., Sharkey P. C. Primary intracranial neoplasms with extracranial metastases: a report of two cases. South Med J. 1967 Mar;60(3):273–279. doi: 10.1097/00007611-196703000-00011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Rubinstein L. J., Logan W. J. Extraneural metastases in ependymoma of the cauda equina. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1970 Dec;33(6):763–770. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.33.6.763. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SHERBANIUK R. W., SHNITKA T. K. Metastasizing intracranial ependymoma. Am J Pathol. 1956 Jan-Feb;32(1):53–65. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tennekoon G. E. Subcutaneous myxo-papillary ependymoma of the sacrococcygeal region. Ceylon Med J. 1968 Dec;13(4):208–209. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. WEISS L. A metastasizing ependymoma of the cauda equina. Cancer. 1955 Jan-Feb;8(1):161–171. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(1955)8:1<161::aid-cncr2820080123>3.0.co;2-k. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Wentworth P., Birdsell D. C. Intracranial ependymoma with extracranial metastases. J Neurosurg. 1966 Dec;25(6):648–651. doi: 10.3171/jns.1966.25.6.0648. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. ZIMMERMAN H. M. The natural history of intracranial neoplasms, with special reference to the gliomas. Am J Surg. 1957 Jun;93(6):913-23; discussion, 923-4. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(57)90667-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. ZIMMERMAN H. M. The nature of gliomas as revealed by animal experimentation. Am J Pathol. 1955 Jan-Feb;31(1):1–29. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES