Solitary Brain Lesion: An Unexpected Presentation of Urachal Adenocarcinoma

Urachal adenocarcinoma (UA) is a rare and aggressive malignancy that typically presents at advanced stages and is associated with poor prognosis. We describe the case of a 63-year-old man with a history of UA treated with partial cystectomy seven years earlier, who remained under annual oncologic follow-up, with the last assessment nine months before the current episode. He presented with neurological symptoms initially suggestive of ischemic stroke. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left cerebellar lesion, and due to its symptomatic nature and diagnostic uncertainty, surgical resection was performed. The biopsy showed metastatic adenocarcinoma, without definitive identification of the primary site. Subsequent staging identified only pulmonary lesions suggesting lung cancer; however, the diagnosis was made after a transthoracic needle biopsy, which confirmed UA in an advanced stage. The patient underwent whole-brain radiotherapy followed by systemic chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidine and platinum. Despite disease progression, he achieved prolonged disease control and preserved quality of life, living more than one year with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 1 until the final weeks of life. This case shows that UA may present with late brain metastasis and supports a multidisciplinary treatment approach.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Cureus
Published
2025-11-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.97365
Primary Topic
Urinary and Genital Oncology Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Solitary Brain Lesion: An Unexpected Presentation of Urachal Adenocarcinoma

Rui Dinis, I. Dunoes, Francisco Trinca, Maria Inês Carvalhinho et al.
Cureus
Urinary and Genital Oncology Studies
article

Solitary Brain Lesion: An Unexpected Presentation of Urachal Adenocarcinoma

Rui Dinis, I. Dunoes, Francisco Trinca, Maria Inês Carvalhinho, Maria Baió
article en

Abstract

Urachal adenocarcinoma (UA) is a rare and aggressive malignancy that typically presents at advanced stages and is associated with poor prognosis. We describe the case of a 63-year-old man with a history of UA treated with partial cystectomy seven years earlier, who remained under annual oncologic follow-up, with the last assessment nine months before the current episode. He presented with neurological symptoms initially suggestive of ischemic stroke. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a left cerebellar lesion, and due to its symptomatic nature and diagnostic uncertainty, surgical resection was performed. The biopsy showed metastatic adenocarcinoma, without definitive identification of the primary site. Subsequent staging identified only pulmonary lesions suggesting lung cancer; however, the diagnosis was made after a transthoracic needle biopsy, which confirmed UA in an advanced stage. The patient underwent whole-brain radiotherapy followed by systemic chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidine and platinum. Despite disease progression, he achieved prolonged disease control and preserved quality of life, living more than one year with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 1 until the final weeks of life. This case shows that UA may present with late brain metastasis and supports a multidisciplinary treatment approach.

CureusVol. 17(11)
Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (PT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 46%
Urinary and Genital Oncology Studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.