Diffuse vertebral metastases from glioblastoma with vertebroepidural diffusion: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of extraneural metastasis in patients diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM) is rare with an estimated incidence ranging from 0.4% to 2.0%. Short clinical history is believed to be a possible explanation of the paucity of such cases. Furthermore, to date, only few papers describe cases of vertebral metastases from GBM without evidence of synchronous visceral involvement. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors report on the case of a 46-year-old woman presenting with a history of surgically treated GBM who developed multiple metastases located in the posterior laminae and vertebral bodies with a single dural metastasis at D6-D8 level 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Total-body computed tomography did not show signs of either intracranial recurrence or visceral involvement. Postoperative pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of the World Health Organization-2016 Grade IV GBM metastases. CONCLUSION: From a clinical point of view, the awareness of the possibility of spinal and vertebral metastasis from intracranial GBM is crucial. The present case demonstrates that distant dissemination from the primary tumor is possible despite the absence of intracranial recurrence.