title: Extra-cranial metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme presenting as acute parotitis.
abstract: We present an unusual case of extracranial metastasis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) to the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes. The patient had previously undergone two craniotomies to debulk a left frontal GBM, followed by radiotherapy. After the second craniotomy, while waiting for chemotherapy, the patient was re-admitted with a short history of a painful swelling of his left parotid gland. The initial diagnosis was infective parotitis; however, as there was no improvement with broad-spectrum antibiotics, CT was undertaken, which revealed a mass in the parotid gland with a necrotic centre and enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Parotid gland biopsy revealed a parotid GBM metastasis. This case illustrates how GBM behaves in an aggressive manner even outside the CNS. A brief review of the literature and of the theories, which might explain the extra-neural metastasis of this tumour is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurosurgery and Neuropathology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wharton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jellinek
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D010309:Parotitis / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed