Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: a rare and devastating complication of cancer--two case reports.

Two cases of very rare intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from colon carcinoma and renal carcinoma were treated primarily by microsurgical excision. A 44-year-old female presented with colon carcinoma metastasis manifesting as complete neurological deficit. She had undergone colon resection 2 years previously for colon carcinoma. The tumor was excised by microsurgery with megadose steroid therapy but she remained paraplegic. A 43-year-old man presented with renal carcinoma metastasis manifesting as incomplete neurological deficits. He had undergone nephrectomy one year previously for renal carcinoma. The tumor was removed by microsurgery. He made a remarkable neurological recovery and became ambulatory after physical therapy.