A Case of Cerebellar Metastasis that was Considered to be Caused by Gastric Cancer

Yoshinori Sugenoya¹⁾, Hiroshi Saiki²⁾, Toshimitsu Araki³⁾and Kimimasa Narita³⁾

¹⁾Department of Surgery, Nansei Town Hospital
²⁾Department of Internal Medicine, Kawamura Hospital
³⁾Second Department of Surgery, Mie University School of Medicine

A rare case of cerebellar metastasis that was considered to be caused by gastri cancer was found 5 months after a total gastrectomy. The patient was a 72-year-old male who had undergone a total gastrectomy and splenectomy in September 1998 because of a Borrmann type 3 gastric cancer. After the operation, the patient received chemotherapy orally and by intravenous drip. The patient complained of mild nausea and lightheadedness 5 months after the operation. A cranial CT suggested a cerebellar hemorrhage, and the patient was admitted to this hospital. Further investigations, such as a cranial MRI and a scinitigram were performed, and the patient was diagnosed with multiple cerebellar metastases from the gastric cancer. No other metastases or local recurrences were found. The patient's family was informed of his condition, and the family decided not to pursue aggressive treatment, including operation and radiotherapy. Conservative therapy was performed, and the patient died in April 1999. Metastatic brain tumors from gastric cancer are rare, and the presence of cerebellar metastases without other metastases is very rare. In general, the prognosis of patients with metastatic brain tumors is very poor.

Key words
gastric cancer, cerebellar metastasis

Reprint requests
Yoshinori Sugenoya Department of Surgery, Nansei Town Hospital 2969 Gokasyoura, Namseicyo, Wataraigun, Mie, 516-0101 JAPAN

Accepted
November 29, 2000

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