Cerebellar metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION: Intracranial metastases of gastro intestinal tumors are very rare. To the best of our knowledge only few cases were reported on the literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the case of 66-year-old male that presented with headache and vomiting. Physical examination found a kinetic cerebellar syndrome. Brain CT scan and MRI showed a right cerebellar tumor. Sub-occipital craniotomy was performed and the tumor was completely resected. Surgical outcomes were marked by the occurrence of an abdominal pain two days after brain surgery. Peritonitis was diagnosed and the patient underwent surgery. Per-operatively, a hemorrhagic tumor perforating the intestines was found and resected. Pathologic examination of the cerebral tumor's resection piece and the intestinal resection piece concluded to a metastasis of a stromal gastro-intestinal tumor. DISCUSSION: Gastro-intestinal stromal tumors are frequent neoplasms, but intracranial metastases of these neoplasms are extremely rare. Abdominal symptomatology frequently reveals the pathology. However, extra digestive symptoms may in rare cases disclose intestinal tumors. Intracranial metastases of gastro-intestinal stromal tumors are generally solitary mainly supratentorial. Infratentorial metastases are very uncommon. Management of gastro-intestinal stromal tumors is based on surgical removal of the tumor. Adjuvant treatment consisting on chemotherapy and radiotherapy is subject of debate. CONCLUSIONS: Gastro-intestinal stromal tumors are frequent neoplasms with a high metastasizing potential on liver and peritoneum. Brain metastases are extremely rare and the prognosis is worse when they are present. Surgery remains the main treatment for the primitive and the secondary lesions.