Brain Metastasis from Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors

Abstract Introduction Metastatic disease is a well-known sequela of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). Metastic spread to the brain is unusual. Case Report A 56-year-old man was found to have a high grade MPNST of the sciatic nerve. Despite en-bloc excision of the sciatic nerve and local radiation post-operatively, he developed pathologically confirmed systemic metastases: 25 months after the diagnosis he was found to have lung nodules and received chemotherapy; and thirty-two months after initial diagnosis, he presented with left leg weakness and sensory changes and was found to have a lesion of the frontal lobe, received palliative radiation following which he developed systemic metastases and died 35 months after initial presentation. Review of a clinical cohort We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 179 patients treated at our institution with MPNSTs since 1994. This was the only case of a pathology proven brain metastasis, resulting in an incidence of 0.5%. Discussion Literature review revealed 22 total cases. The mean age was found to be 37.5 years, and mean survival after development of a brain metastasis was 9.9 months. Conclusion Brain metastases from MPNSTs are very rare and represent a poor prognosis, with survival after brain metastasis reported to be approximately 10 months. Early and effective initial diagnosis and treatment of MPNSTs likely represent the best opportunity for increased overall survival.