An unusual case of aggressive endometrial adenocarcinoma metastasis to the clivus: illustrative case

J Neurosurg Case Lessons. 2024 Oct 28;8(18):CASE24392. doi: 10.3171/CASE24392. Print 2024 Oct 28.

Abstract

Background: Though endometrial carcinomas are a relatively common cancer of the female genitourinary tract, they rarely metastasize. Similarly, clival metastases make up a tiny fraction of all brain metastases. To the authors' knowledge, an endometrial carcinoma clival metastasis has never been described in the literature; therefore, the authors present the following unusual case of a 69-year-old female with a history of an initially grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma that metastasized to her clivus.

Observations: Endometrial carcinoma has the potential to metastasize to the clivus.

Lessons: Endometrial carcinoma, even when initially low grade, can metastasize intracranially. Prompt diagnosis with tissue biopsy and radiation is the mainstay of treatment, although the prognosis remains poor. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE24392.

Keywords: clivus tumor; endometrial carcinoma; malignant epithelial neoplasms; neoplasm metastases; skull base neoplasm.