Risk factors and survival outcomes in patients with brain metastases from breast cancer.

Development of central nervous system (CNS) metastases in breast cancer (BC) is associated with poor prognosis. The incidence of CNS metastases in metastatic BC is reported to be about 10-16 %, but different subtypes of BC are associated with different risk of developing CNS metastases. We retrospectively analysed the risk of CNS metastases and the outcome in a cohort of 473 patients with metastatic BC. CNS metastases were diagnosed in 15.6 % of patients and median survival from diagnosis of CNS metastases was 7.53 (25th-75th 2.8-18.9) months. The risk of developing CNS metastases was higher in patients with grade 3, hormone receptor negative, HER2-positive, high Ki-67 BC. When compared to luminal A subtype, only HER2-positive BC was associated with increased risk of CNS metastases. Survival from diagnosis of CNS metastases was longer in patients with HER2-positive BC, while it was shorter in patients that did not receive any locoregional treatment, or with extra-CNS disease, or with more than 3 CNS lesions.

Hemangiopericytoma of the skull base and Collet-Sicard syndrome: a case report.

Hemangiopericytoma (HP) is a mesenchymal tumor that originates from the pericytes of the capillary walls. This is a rare neoplasm, particularly in the head and neck; the skull base is involved exceptionally. We report a case of a large HP located in the jugular foramen. The last four cranial nerves were involved, causing a Collet-Sicard syndrome associated with facial palsy. Only one case of HP and Collet-Sicard syndrome is reported in the literature. The clinical course of the disease is described, emphasizing the long period of elapsed time between onset of the complaints and the final diagnosis. Diagnostic procedures and immunohistochemical evaluation are analyzed, along with the possible differential diagnosis with other pathological processes that more frequently involve the jugular foramen.