Anal Cancer with Atypical Brain and Cranial Bones Metastasis: About 2 Cases and Literature Review

Abstract

Canal anal cancer is a rare tumor that accounts for 2% of all colorectal neoplasms, with a low propensity for metastasis. The spread of anal squamous cell carcinoma to the brain is exceedingly rare and has been previously reported only 5 times in the medical literature. However, the first and only case of cranial bone metastasis from anal canal carcinoma was described in 2019. The purpose of this article is to add our cases to the limited literature for the management of metastatic anal cancer. The current study presents 2 cases of patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal how underwent chemo and radiotherapy. Despite the treatment our patients developed neurological symptoms, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed brain lesions for the first case, and cranial bones metastasis for the second one, histopathology confirmed these lesions to be a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, consistent with the known primary tumor of the anal canal. Unfortunately, both patients succumbed quickly to systemic complications of the disease during these treatments. Despite its rarity, brain metastasis should be considered in any patient with a history of anal cancer presented neurological symptoms.

Keywords

• canal anal tumor
• cranial metastasis
• brain metastasis