Rapidly progressive Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases from Breast Cancer: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. Distant metastases are most frequently seen in the lung and bone, whereas intramedullary spinal cord metastasis ( ISCM ) is extremely rare. Herein, we report a rare case of ISCM from breast cancer. Case presentation： A 67-year-old female was diagnosed with breast cancer 3.5 years ago and received standardized systemic treatment. Unfortunately, 2 years later, she developed lung and brain metastases. Recently, she was diagnosed with ISCM due to sensory and motor dysfunction of both lower extremities, and underwent surgical treatment. Within 24 hours postoperatively, her sensory level gradually decreased and finally stabilized at the L3 level, but no significant recovery in muscle strength or tone was observed. Conclusions: ISCM from breast cancer is an extremely rare, rapidly progressive, and devastating complication with an extremely poor prognosis. The overall survival remains dismal for most patients. Further accumulation of clinical cases and high-quality studies are warranted to establish optimal diagnosis and treatment protocols for this rare condition.