Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review

BackgroundMeckel’s cave (MC) is a highly uncommon site for metastatic disease, particularly from primary lung cancer.Case presentationWe report a clinical case of a 70-year-old man presenting with left trigeminal pain, left ptosis, and restricted abduction of the left eyeball. The patient had a 2-ye...

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Main Authors: Chao Chen, Zhiqin Lu, Gang Lin, Yujie Hu, Yong Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1613711/full
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author Chao Chen
Chao Chen
Zhiqin Lu
Gang Lin
Yujie Hu
Yong Guo
author_facet Chao Chen
Chao Chen
Zhiqin Lu
Gang Lin
Yujie Hu
Yong Guo
author_sort Chao Chen
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundMeckel’s cave (MC) is a highly uncommon site for metastatic disease, particularly from primary lung cancer.Case presentationWe report a clinical case of a 70-year-old man presenting with left trigeminal pain, left ptosis, and restricted abduction of the left eyeball. The patient had a 2-year history of stage IV lung squamous cell carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced brain MRI and FDG-PET/CT showed an ill-defined mass with a heterogeneously enhancing lesion involving the left MC and middle cranial fossa. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS, 30 Gy/5 fx) achieved significant improvement in symptoms and regression of radiologic tumors within 1 month. Our review of relevant literature identified only two reported cases of lung adenocarcinoma metastasizing to MC. In addition, we examined the limited literature on other malignant tumors metastatic to MC managed with radiotherapy.ConclusionThis is the first reported case of MC metastasis from lung squamous cell carcinoma successfully treated with SRS. Effective management of MC metastasis requires histology-specific radiotherapy strategies, with squamous cell carcinoma benefiting from hypofractionated SRS.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Oncology
spelling doaj-art-d1933d458bb1498c98f4629dbff324f52025-08-20T02:10:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-06-011510.3389/fonc.2025.16137111613711Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature reviewChao Chen0Chao Chen1Zhiqin Lu2Gang Lin3Yujie Hu4Yong Guo5The First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Radiotherapy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Hangzhou, ChinaBackgroundMeckel’s cave (MC) is a highly uncommon site for metastatic disease, particularly from primary lung cancer.Case presentationWe report a clinical case of a 70-year-old man presenting with left trigeminal pain, left ptosis, and restricted abduction of the left eyeball. The patient had a 2-year history of stage IV lung squamous cell carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced brain MRI and FDG-PET/CT showed an ill-defined mass with a heterogeneously enhancing lesion involving the left MC and middle cranial fossa. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS, 30 Gy/5 fx) achieved significant improvement in symptoms and regression of radiologic tumors within 1 month. Our review of relevant literature identified only two reported cases of lung adenocarcinoma metastasizing to MC. In addition, we examined the limited literature on other malignant tumors metastatic to MC managed with radiotherapy.ConclusionThis is the first reported case of MC metastasis from lung squamous cell carcinoma successfully treated with SRS. Effective management of MC metastasis requires histology-specific radiotherapy strategies, with squamous cell carcinoma benefiting from hypofractionated SRS.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1613711/fullMeckel’s cave metastasistrigeminal cave metastasislung cancerstereotactic radiosurgerycase report
spellingShingle Chao Chen
Chao Chen
Zhiqin Lu
Gang Lin
Yujie Hu
Yong Guo
Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
Frontiers in Oncology
Meckel’s cave metastasis
trigeminal cave metastasis
lung cancer
stereotactic radiosurgery
case report
title Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
title_full Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
title_fullStr Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
title_full_unstemmed Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
title_short Case Report: Metastatic lung cancer in Meckel's Cave: a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
title_sort case report metastatic lung cancer in meckel s cave a radiotherapy successful case and literature review
topic Meckel’s cave metastasis
trigeminal cave metastasis
lung cancer
stereotactic radiosurgery
case report
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1613711/full
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