title: Solitary brainstem metastasis.
abstract: Progressive cranial nerve palsies and long-tract signs without increased intracranial pressure developed in three patients. All had a history of cancer, but two had been in remission for more than 5 years and were thought to be cured of the malignancy. The patients were treated with cranial irradiation and glucocorticoids, following which one patient made a dramatic neurologic recovery. In each case, postmortem examination showed a brainstem metastasis with no metastatic lesions elsewhere in the nervous system. An occult metastasis should be considered when signs or symptoms suggest brainstem tumor in an adult.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D001933:Brain Stem; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis