title: [Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of brain metastases].
abstract: Brain metastases are one of the most common palliative oncologic problems. Approximately 20% to 40% of all cancer patients eventually develop metastases to the brain. In this review, we discuss the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, prognostic factors and appropriate therapeutic choices for these patients. Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for most patients with brain metastases. Surgery and whole brain radiotherapy for the treatment of single brain metastasis in patients with stable extracranial disease is at the present time the best treatment option for this particular group. Radiosurgery, treatment that is a possible replacement for surgery, is not yet established as an effective treatment. Chemotherapy is not the primary therapy for these patients. The overall prognosis for patients with brain metastases remains poor.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Oncology, Kaunas University of Medicine, 3007 Kaunas, Lithuania. onko@takas.lt
authors.forename: Elona
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Juozaityte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008175:Lung Neoplasms; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016634:Radiosurgery; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids
vernacular_title: Metastaziu galvos smegenyse diagnostika ir gydymas.