Secondary tumor formation after stereotactic biopsy for intracerebral metastatic disease.
BACKGROUND
There are only a few published cases of iatrogenic tumor seeding and distant neoplastic growth along the path of the cannula after stereotactic biopsy.


METHODS
We report the case of a female patient with a solitary lung cancer metastasis in the left parietal brain lobe. The tumor was stereotactically biopsied and treated by radiosurgery. One month after the initial biopsy, a smaller de novo tumor mass located along the track of the stereotactic cannula was detected by contrast-enhanced MRI. The spatial location of this neoplastic nodule and the short time before development of a macroscopic lesion seemed to confirm iatrogenic tumor cell spread due to the stereotactic procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings and the reviewed literature suggest that this complication is rare. Nevertheless, neurosurgeons should be aware of the potential risk and, if necessary, should be able to modify the technical procedure and the adjuvant treatment.
Marx
T
T
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Magdeburger Str. 16, D-06097 Halle, Germany.
Rainov
N G
NG
Heidecke
V
V
Burkert
W
W
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016634:Radiosurgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012086:Reoperation; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed