Spinal drop metastases in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme

Multifocal dissemination of glioblastomas is very rare but is increasing as patients live longer. Between April 1994 and December 1997 one hundred and fifty one patients with a histologically proven glioblastoma multiforme were operated on in the Neurosurgical Department of the University of Kiel, Germany. Recurrent tumours of these patients were removed in 36 patients. Two patients developed multifocal spread of glioblastoma multiforme including spinal drop metastases. Both patients died 10 and 7 months after the primary operation. On histological examination both tumours showed wide perivascular tumour-cell cuffings in the surrounding brain tissue, so that this perivascular growth might be another explanation for the dissemination in these glioblastomas.