Lioté H, Spaulding C, Vedrenne C, Schlienger M, Milleron B, Akoun G
Service de Pneumologie et de Réanimation respiratoire, Hôpital Tenon, Paris.
Rev Pneumol Clin. 1988;44(2):94-100.
A 27-year old woman with occipital ependymoma treated by surgery and radiotherapy for multiple recurrences developed a right lymphocytic pleural effusion. After 3 inconclusive needle biopsies of the pleura, pleurectomy was performed. Pathological examination with a specific immunohistochemical marker provided a diagnosis of pleuro-pulmonary metastases from the ependymoma. This rare case of extraneuraxial metastasis from a cerebral ependymoma is discussed in the light of published data. Its originality lies in that a positive diagnosis of pleural metastases was obtained with an immunohistochemical marker, the gliofibrillary antiprotein serum (anti-GFAP) specific of glial tissue.
