Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ISCM) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC): clinical patterns, diagnosis and therapeutic considerations

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) is an unusual occurrence in sy stemic cancer. occurring in as few as 2% of autopsy cases and also represen ts 8.5% of all cases of central nervous system metastases. Although ISCM fr om small cell lung carcinoma is well documented, ISCM from non-small cell l ung carcinoma of the lung is rarely diagnosed prior to thr patients' demise and very little data regarding outcomes exists in such patients. We presen t the results of our observational case series to better delineate the pres entation and clinical course of this uncommon entity which shows that ISCM may present atypically and should be considered in any patient with a previ ous history of bronchogenic carcinoma and neurologic symptoms, (C) 2001 Els evier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.