Posterior fossa metastasis of lung carcinoid tumor: case report

Carcinoid tumors are generally indolent neoplasms. Brain metastases are rare and when present, yield a poor prognosis. We present the case of a 76-year old female surgically treated for an atypical bronchial carcinoid, staged as T2aN0M0G2. Without further adjuvant treatment she remained stable for four years, when she presented with headaches and gait imbalance. Brain MRI revealed a midline, intra-axial infratentorial lesion that was completely removal, of which histolology confirmed a carcinoid metastasis. At 14 months of follow-up, the patient showed no signs of systemic disease or brain recurrence, and thus no adjuvant radiotherapy was prescribed.