Abstract
A 65-year-old man first noted numbness and weakness of his leg, and then developedparaplegia of the lower extremities and urinary retention. Chest roentgenogram showed a tumor-like shadow in the left middle lung field. Undifferentiated carcinoma cells were detected in the specimen obtained by skin biopsy. The patient's general condition rapidly deteriorated and he died without anticancer treatment.
At autopsy, the primary lesion, small cell carcinoma (intermediate cell type) was located in the left upper lobe (S4), and there was intramedullary metastasis and also widespread metastases.
Metastatic intramedullary spinal cord tumor is very rare, and when present, lung cancer is reported to be the most frequent primary tumor. In cases of lung cancer accompanied by neurological symptoms the possibility of intramedullary metastasis should be considered.
