Neoplastic angioendotheliosis. The case of the missed primary?
Two patients are described, of whom one suffered from progressive dementia, the other with a picture suggestive of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Both were found at necropsy to have small vessels throughout the body clogged with malignant cells with resultant cerebral infarcts. The source in one case was a 1-cm tumor in the thyroid, in the other a microscopic focus in the pancreas. It is suggested that most cases described as neoplastic angioendotheliosis involving the brain represent vascular dissemination of an unrecognized primary carcinoma rather than a miraculously widespread malignant endothelial transformation.
D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006390:Hemangioendothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology