Malignant pleural mesothelioma presenting with symptomatic brain metastases: report of a case.
We describe a unique case of brain metastases presenting as first symptom of a malignant mesothelioma (MM). MM is a highly aggressive tumor of the serous membrane that is generally believed to be rarely metastasizing. Recently, the reports of long surviving cases and larger literature reviews have suggested that cerebral metastases are not so uncommon. An extensive histochemical and immunohistochemical panel is needed to achieve a correct differential diagnosis, especially in the epithelioid type. Pathologists should be aware that brain metastases could have a mesothelial origin.
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Pathology Division, Medical School, University of Bari, Italy; gabriella.serio1@uniba.it.
A
A
Marzullo
Anna
A
Scattone
Roberta
R
Rossi
Antonietta
A
Cimmino
Alessandra
A
Punzi
F
F
Corsi
Domenica
D
Cavone
Teresa
T
Lettini
Gabriella
G
Serio
D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000473:pathology*; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant