Intracranial metastases in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
BACKGROUND
Intracranial metastases are rarely clinically diagnosed in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Only 7 patients with metastases to the cavernous sinus from head and neck squamous cell carcinomas have been reported.


METHODS
A retrospective study revealed 13 patients with intracranial metastases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In a 53-year-old woman a cavernous sinus metastasis of a laryngeal carcinoma was histologically diagnosed by using a CT-guided surgical navigation system and was treated with stereotactic radiotherapy.


RESULTS
The mean survival was 4.3 months. Predictive factors for longer survival were absence of extracranial disease, age younger than 60 years, and treatment with radiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The prognosis for patients with intracranial disease is poor. The current development of computer-assisted stereotactic navigation and stereotactic radiotherapy may facilitate surgical diagnostic exploration and improve treatment, especially in patients without extracranial disease.
Department of Otolaryngology, VU Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
R
R
de Bree
D M
DM
Mehta
G B
GB
Snow
J J
JJ
Quak
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate