Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases in Breast Cancer are Associated with Improved Longer-Term Systemic Control

Abstract

Intramedullary spinal cord metastases are a rare complication of malignancy, associated with a poor prognosis. We describe three cases with extensively pretreated advanced breast cancer developing intramedullary spinal cord metastases two of whom were receiving trastuzumab, one of whom was a male. As therapeutic advances increase overall survival for patients with metastatic breast cancer, patterns of disease are changing with improved systemic control. The incidence of intramedullary spinal cord metastases is likely to increase but management strategies remain unclear.

Keywords:

• breast cancer
• metastasis
• spinal cord
• systemic therapy
• trastuzumab

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.