Cranial and intra-axial metastasis originating from a primary ovarian Dysgerminoma

Abstract

Dysgerminomas are aggressive germ cell tumors that typically have a favorable prognosis, especially in patients diagnosed with early stage disease. We recount the history of a 23-year-old woman who was treated for a stage IA ovarian dysgerminoma in November 2017. Postoperatively, the patient was noncompliant insofar as obtaining routine lab evaluations; ten months later, she was diagnosed with a cranial metastasis that extended into the meninges. The patient subsequently underwent a craniotomy and adjuvant etoposide, bleomycin and cisplatin chemotherapy to which she initially responded; however, during cycle 4, she developed pancytopenia whereupon the chemotherapy was summarily discontinued. Thereafter, the patient was surveilled and currently, she remains in clinical remission. Early stage ovarian dysgerminoma, albeit rarely, has the capacity to metastasize to the cranium or brain, further underscoring the significance of employing active follow-up with these patients. Keywords: Ovarian dysgerminoma, Cranial metastasis, Treatment