Gamma knife radiosurgery for cavernous sinus metastasis from hypopharyngeal carcinoma

Cavernous sinus metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma is rare. We present a 57-year old Chinese man who was diagnosed as a case with hypopharyngeal carcinoma (T3N2bM0). He received the radical surgery and radiotherapy. After six months, it was found that the metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma appeared in the right cavernous sinus. The patient was treated with Gamma knife radiosurgery. However, 10 months later, the clinical sign and mass reappeared, then Gamma knife radiosurgery was used again at the double dose. After 17 months, the tumor had extended into the right temporal bone and showed metastasis in the abdomen and lung without the metastasis in the neck or the recurrence in the hypopharynx. The patient survived 29 months. Gamma knife radiosurgery may be effective in the treatment of patients with cavernous sinus metastasis.