A Collision Tumor—Meningioma with Breast Cancer Metastasis

A meningioma was discovered in a 76-year-old woman in 2016. Since the tumor was asymptomatic, benign, and not significantly space-occupying, the decision was taken to simply monitor the meningioma. The tumor remained unchanged over a period of years. In 2019, the patient developed breast cancer. In late 2022, she suffered an epileptic seizure. Renewed magnetic resonance imaging of the skull revealed an enlarged tumor with clear perifocal edema and signs of a space-occupying lesion (Figure 1). Progression of the meningioma was suspected. During microsurgical removal, a collision tumor was found between the known meningioma and a breast cancer metastasis (Figure 2). The monitoring of asymptomatic meningioma with regular check-ups is often sufficient. If size progresses, symptoms develop, and/or perifocal edema is observed,resection and histological analysis become necessary. Postoperatively, tumor bed irradiation was carried out and the patient received gynecologic oncology care. Following a transient good recovery, the patient developed meningeal carcinomatosis. Collision tumors are rare. Meningiomas offer a favorable environment for the emergence and growth of other malignant cells.

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Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Uwe Kehler, Neurochirurgie, Asklepios Klinik Altona, Hamburg, [e-mail]

Dr. med. Maria Makrigeorgi-Butera, MVZ HPH, Institut für Pathologie und Hämatopathologie, Hamburg

Conflict of interest statement: Die Autorin und der Autor erklären, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Translated from the original German by Christine Rye.

Cite this as: Kehler U, Makrigeorgi-Butera M: A collision tumor—meningioma with breast cancer metastasis. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2024; 121: 607. DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0148