Tumor-to-tumor metastasis

Changed by Rohit Sharma, 4 Apr 2024
Disclosures - updated 18 Aug 2023: Nothing to disclose

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

A tumour-to-tumour metastasis, also known as a collision tumour, is a rare metastatic process in which a primary malignant tumour ('donor') metastasises to another tumour ('recipient'), most commonly a benign tumour such as a meningioma.

Epidemiology

Tumour-to-tumour metastasis is considered very rare, with one recentreview in 2012 review uncovering only 84 cases in a literature search 1.

Clinical presentation

Clinical presentation is highly variable depending on the primary donor tumour and the tumour to which it is metastasising to 1-3.

Pathology

The most common recipient of these metastases are meningiomas with with the most common donor tumours being breast and lung cancers, however many different donor (e.g. renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer) and recipient tumours (e.g. renal cell carcinoma,thymoma, uterine leiomyoma) have been reported 1-4.

Meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour and although the reasons for why this is so remain unclear, it has been postulated that they have many characteristics that promote tumour growth, such as slow growth rate, hypervascularity, high collagen, and high lipid content 1.

Radiographic features

Similar to clinical presentation, radiographic features are highly variable and often CT and MRI alone are not sufficient to confidently make the diagnosis of tumour-to-tumour metastasis 1.

As meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour, they are most commonly described radiographically in the literature 1. In general, unusual radiographic characteristics and unexpectedly rapid growth in a meningioma may be prompts to consider this rare diagnosis 5.

CT

Appearance is variable, with the metastasis within a meningioma appearing as either hyperdense over the meningioma, or hypodense if it has a necrotic component 1.

MRI

Again highly variable, MRI reveals signal characteristics that are unusual for a meningioma 1. MR spectroscopy and MR perfusion may be additionally utilised to detect further characteristics atypical for meningioma 1.

Treatment and prognosis

Treatment involves resection, which is often necessary for diagnosis anyway, and management of the primary tumour 1. Prognosis is that of the metastasised primary malignancy.

History and etymology

Tumour-to-tumour metastasis was first described by Berent in 1902 4,6,6.

  • -<p>A <strong>tumour-to-tumour metastasis</strong>, also known as a <strong>collision tumour</strong>, is a rare metastatic process in which a primary malignant tumour ('donor') metastasises to another tumour ('recipient'), most commonly a benign tumour such as a <a href="/articles/meningioma">meningioma</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Tumour-to-tumour metastasis is considered very rare, with one recent 2012 review uncovering only 84 cases in a literature search <sup>1</sup>. </p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Clinical presentation is highly variable depending on the primary donor tumour and the tumour to which it is metastasising to <sup>1-3</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>The most common recipient of these metastases are <a href="/articles/meningioma">meningiomas</a> with the most common donor tumours being <a href="/articles/breast-cancer-staging-1">breast</a> and <a href="/articles/non-small-cell-lung-cancer">lung cancers</a>, however many different donor (e.g. <a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a>, <a href="/articles/prostatic-carcinoma-1">prostate cancer</a>) and recipient tumours (e.g. <a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a>, <a href="/articles/thymic-epithelial-tumours">thymoma</a>, <a href="/articles/uterine-leiomyoma">uterine leiomyoma</a>) have been reported <sup>1-4</sup>. </p><p>Meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour and although the reasons for why this is so remain unclear, it has been postulated that they have many characteristics that promote tumour growth, such as slow growth rate, hypervascularity, high collagen, and high lipid content <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>Similar to clinical presentation, radiographic features are highly variable and often CT and MRI alone are not sufficient to confidently make the diagnosis of tumour-to-tumour metastasis <sup>1</sup>.</p><p>As meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour, they are most commonly described radiographically in the literature <sup>1</sup>. In general, unusual radiographic characteristics and unexpectedly rapid growth in a meningioma may be prompts to consider this rare diagnosis <sup>5</sup>.</p><h5>CT</h5><p>Appearance is variable, with the metastasis within a meningioma appearing as either hyperdense over the meningioma, or hypodense if it has a necrotic component <sup>1</sup>. </p><h5>MRI</h5><p>Again highly variable, MRI reveals signal characteristics that are unusual for a meningioma <sup>1</sup>. MR spectroscopy and MR perfusion may be additionally utilised to detect further characteristics atypical for meningioma <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Treatment and prognosis</h4><p>Treatment involves resection, which is often necessary for diagnosis anyway, and management of the primary tumour <sup>1</sup>. Prognosis is that of the metastasised primary malignancy.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>Tumour-to-tumour metastasis was first described by <strong>Berent</strong> in 1902 <sup>4,</sup><sup>6</sup>.</p>
  • +<p>A <strong>tumour-to-tumour metastasis</strong>, also known as a <strong>collision tumour</strong>, is a rare metastatic process in which a primary malignant tumour ('donor') metastasises to another tumour ('recipient'), most commonly a benign tumour such as a <a href="/articles/meningioma">meningioma</a>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>Tumour-to-tumour metastasis is considered very rare, with one review in 2012 uncovering only 84 cases in a literature search <sup>1</sup>.&nbsp;</p><h4>Clinical presentation</h4><p>Clinical presentation is highly variable depending on the primary donor tumour and the tumour to which it is metastasising to <sup>1-3</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>The most common recipient of these metastases are <a href="/articles/meningioma">meningiomas</a>&nbsp;with the most common donor tumours being <a href="/articles/breast-cancer-staging-1">breast</a> and <a href="/articles/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-3">lung cancers</a>, however many different donor (e.g. <a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a>, <a href="/articles/prostate-cancer-3">prostate cancer</a>) and recipient tumours (e.g. <a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/articles/thymic-epithelial-tumours">thymoma</a>, <a href="/articles/uterine-leiomyoma">uterine leiomyoma</a>) have been reported <sup>1-4</sup>.&nbsp;</p><p>Meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour and although the reasons for why this is so remain unclear, it has been postulated that they have many characteristics that promote tumour growth, such as slow growth rate, hypervascularity, high collagen, and high lipid content <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>Similar to clinical presentation, radiographic features are highly variable and often CT and MRI alone are not sufficient to confidently make the diagnosis of tumour-to-tumour metastasis <sup>1</sup>.</p><p>As meningiomas are the most common recipient tumour, they are most commonly described radiographically in the literature <sup>1</sup>. In general, unusual radiographic characteristics and unexpectedly rapid growth in a meningioma may be prompts to consider this rare diagnosis <sup>5</sup>.</p><h5>CT</h5><p>Appearance is variable, with the metastasis within a meningioma appearing as either hyperdense over the meningioma, or hypodense if it has a necrotic component <sup>1</sup>.&nbsp;</p><h5>MRI</h5><p>Again highly variable, MRI reveals signal characteristics that are unusual for a meningioma <sup>1</sup>. MR spectroscopy and MR perfusion may be additionally utilised to detect further characteristics atypical for meningioma <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Treatment and prognosis</h4><p>Treatment involves resection, which is often necessary for diagnosis anyway, and management of the primary tumour <sup>1</sup>. Prognosis is that of the metastasised primary malignancy.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>Tumour-to-tumour metastasis was first described by <strong>Berent</strong> in 1902 <sup>4,6</sup>.</p>

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

Updating… Please wait.

 Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

 Thank you for updating your details.