[Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the colon with metastasis to the brain: a case report and review of the literature]

Abstract

The Authors report a case of a 71-year-old male with synchronous neuroendocrine colon carcinoma and a solitary brain metastasis. The patient was treated surgically with resection of both the cerebral and intestinal lesions followed by cerebral radiotherapy. A pulmonary metastasis was discovered after 3 months and treated with interferon and octreotide. No further cerebral or intestinal relapses were observed. The patient died of cardiac disease 11 months after the first operation. Central nervous system metastases from carcinoid tumours are rare. The reported survival in untreated cases or in cases treated by radiotherapy alone is 4 months. In the case reported, surgical resection of the cerebral and intestinal lesions followed by intracranial radiotherapy yielded complete local control of the disease and a slight improvement in survival.