Glioblastoma multiforme with metastasis to lung, bone, and chest wall: a case report

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common brain tumor that rarely metastasizes extra-cranially. We present the case of a 40-year-old male with left temporal GBM who underwent craniotomy followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Postoperative MRI scans at different time intervals demonstrated a good response. Eleven months after the initial diagnosis, there were no clinical or radiological signs suggesting recurrence. However, the tumor showed metastasis simultaneously to the chest wall, lungs, and bone, despite 2 cycles of chemotherapy. The patient developed paraplegia 14 months after the initial diagnosis and died due to systemic failure 19 months after diagnosis. Extracranial metastasis of GBM is extremely rare. We present the unusual case of a patient with GBM who showed simultaneous metastasis to the lungs, bone, and chest wall. The prognosis of patients with extracranial metastasis of glioblastomas is very poor, regardless of chemoradiotherapy. Newer approaches, such as immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy, need to be further studied.