Work

Pulmonary Metastasis From Glioblastoma: An Uncommon Clinical Entity

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive who grade IV primary brain tumor, yet extracranial metastasis occurs in less than 2% of cases due to the protective effects of the blood-brain barrier and lack of lymphatic drainage. This report describes a 79-year-old woman diagnosed with GBM after resection of a right occipital lesion invading the transverse sinus. Following surgery and radiotherapy, radiological progression was noted seven months later. A PET-CT scan revealed multiple suspicious pulmonary nodules, and further evaluation confirmed right-sided pleural effusion with lymphocytic predominance. Biopsy of a right upper lobe mass demonstrated pulmonary metastasis of glioblastoma, ruling out a second primary lung tumor. The patient required repeated thoracenteses and later pleurodesis, but her condition worsened, leading to death two months after metastasis diagnosis. This case highlights the rarity yet possibility of GBM spreading beyond the central nervous system, especially following neurosurgery or sinus invasion, emphasizing the need for clinical vigilance when systemic symptoms appear.

Source: Open Respiratory Archives

DOI: 10.1016/j.opresp.2025.100523

Authors: María Conejero Merchán, Rafael D’Ambrosi Centeno, Beatriz Raboso Moreno, María Teresa Río Ramírez

Institutions: Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Hospital Universitario 12 De Octubre, Universidad Europea de Madrid

Language: English

Topic: Glioma Diagnosis and Treatment

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,060