Brain metastases from colorectal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Brain metastases are an unusual finding in patients with colorectal carcinoma. We wished to determine the clinical presentation, the time interval between the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma and the appearance of brain metastases, and the overall survival.


METHODS
The median age of our patients was 61 years. Brain metastases developed subsequently to the diagnosis of colorectal cancer in nine patients. All patients had neurologic symptoms. All patients had progressing systemic disease at the moment of intracranial presentation. Four patients received whole brain radiation therapy. The median survival was 11 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
The development of brain metastasis is a late event in the course of colorectal carcinoma and occurs most often in patients with extensive systemic disease that contraindicates surgical resection. Radiotherapy can improve the survival of this group of patients whereas the role of chemotherapy is still unclear due to the low frequency of such cases.
Zorrilla
M
M
Division of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain.
Alonso
V
V
Herrero
A
A
Corral
M
M
Puértolas
T
T
Trufero
J M
JM
Artal
A
A
Antón
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged