Double cystic brain metastasis in a patient with stable pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm

Abstract

Background

Brain metastases in pancreatic cancer are a rare condition and are usually seen in case of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Only few cases of brain metastasis in patients affected by Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) are actually reported.

Case description

We report a patient diagnosed with double cystic brain lesions that the histological examination reveal to be consistent, with pancreatic metastasis. Our patient had an history shown of stable pancreatic IPMN which has never made the oncologist suspicious about neoplastic progression or degeneration into pancreatic carcinoma. Considering the rarity of these metastasis we did a literature review on the topic

Conclusions

Despite rare, pancreatic origin of a cystic brain metastasis should considered in differential diagnosis in both patient with IPMN or patient with unknown primitive tumor.

Keywords:

• Brain metastasis
• IPMN
• pancreatic metastasis
• cystic metastasis
• multiple metastasis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.