Brain Metastasis from Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Abstract

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck, and is associated with high recurrence and low survival rates; however, distant brain metastasis from NPC is rare.

Case description: The authors report 3 cases of brain metastasis from NPC treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A 49-year-old woman presented was diagnosed with brain metastasis from NPC, which occurred 53 months after the initial diagnosis of NPC. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-enhanced large tumor on the frontal lobe, which was treated with SRS. Six months later, brain MRI revealed progression of the tumor. A 44-year-old man had undergone craniotomy and removal of a cerebellar tumor pathologically confirmed as metastasis from NPC. The recurrent brain metastasis was diagnosed via routine MRI follow-up examination 23 months after surgery. Brain MRI revealed a heterogeneously enhanced cerebellar large tumor, which was treated using hypofractionated SRS. Three months later, brain MRI revealed a significant decrease in the tumor size. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed with distant brain metastasis from NPC via routine positron emission tomography follow-up examination 14 months after the initial diagnosis of NPC. Brain MRI confirmed a homogeneously enhanced tumor on the cavernous sinus, which was treated with SRS. Three months later, brain MRI revealed virtual disappearance of the tumor. All 3 patients had undergone concurrent chemoradiotherapy after the initial diagnosis of NPC and underwent salvage SRS for brain metastasis from NPC.

Conclusions: Despite the poor prognosis, salvage SRS was performed for these rare brain metastases from NPC.

Keywords: Brain metastasis; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Stereotactic radiosurgery.