Metastatic Adenocarcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Bilateral Cerebellopontine Angles: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Turk Neurosurg. 2015;25(6):936-9. doi: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.7737-12.2.

Abstract

Metastatic adenocarcinoma in bilateral cerebellopontine angles (CPA) is rare. We report a case and review the current literature in order to enhance recognition of metastatic adenocarcinoma in the cerebellopontine angle. A 44-year-old man was referred to the hospital with rightsided diminished hearing for 7 weeks, left-sided facial palsy for 2 weeks, and left-sided sensorineural hearing loss for 1 week. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) two tumors in bilateral CPAs were detected. The left-sided tumor was resected and histopathological examination revealed an adenocarcinoma. Many investigations could not find the primary tumor. One should be careful with middle-aged or elderly patients with sudden progressive deficits in the VIII < sup > th < /sup > or VII < sup > th < /sup > cranial nerves, particularly in bilateral CPA.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / complications
  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary*
  • Adult
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Cerebellopontine Angle / pathology*
  • Facial Paralysis / etiology
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / etiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / pathology*