Surgical resection of solitary brain metastasis from ovarian carcinoma: an analysis of 22 cases.
OBJECTIVE
Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is considered an uncommon complication in patients with ovarian carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors for survival following surgical resection of brain metastases in patients with ovarian carcinoma.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was conducted on 22 patients who had been submitted to neurosurgical resection of a solitary brain metastasis from ovarian carcinoma.


RESULTS
Eighteen lesions were cerebral, 4 were cerebellar. CNS was the only site of disease in 9 patients, 9 patients had CNS and abdominopelvic disease, and 4 also had concomitant extraperitoneal dissemination. Following surgery, 17 received whole-brain radiotherapy and 5 received systemic chemotherapy. Median survival from diagnosis of cerebral metastasis for the entire series was 16 months (range, 4-41 months). Extracranial disease at the time of CNS metastasis and time interval between diagnosis of ovarian cancer and CNS involvement manifestation were the only factors significantly affecting survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Neurosurgical resection of brain metastasis from ovarian carcinoma is indicated in solitary lesions in the absence of systemic disease. The role of chemotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery should be investigated.
Cormio
Gennaro
G
Gynecologic Oncology Unit, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.n.cormio@gynecology2.uniba.it
Maneo
Andrea
A
Colamaria
Antonio
A
Loverro
Giuseppe
G
Lissoni
Andrea
A
Selvaggi
Luigi
L
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies