Metastatic glioblastoma is a rare progression of glioblastoma, with an incidence of 0.4-0.5% of all glioblastoma cases. The locations can be extraneural, such as leptomeninges and dural venous sinuses, or both extraneural and extracranial, such as solid organs and lymph nodes.
In a recent case series in the United States, the top five regions of metastases in order of frequencies are bone, lymph node (thoracic and cervical), lung, leptomeninges, and soft tissue 1.
The median time from diagnosis of the primary glioblastoma to metastasis and from detection of metastasis to death was 8.5 months and 1.5 months, respectively. Patients with lung metastases carry the worst prognosis 2.
Male gender, young age, and proximity to the ventricular system are identified as risk factors for metastasis 3.