Clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of patients with cerebral metastases: the University of São Paulo series.
BACKGROUND
Secondary neoplasias are the most common tumors affecting the central nervous system and several clinical aspects of this disease are still controversial.


METHODS
Forty-seven consecutive patients with the diagnosis of cerebral metastases (CM) were retrospectively studied at the Clinical Hospital of Sao Paulo University Medical School. Mean age was 53.9 years and 25 patients were female.


RESULTS
The most frequent primary sites were breast, lung and skin. Symptoms were related to increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in 48.9%, focal neurological events in 27.7% and both in 17.0%. Single brain metastases were found in 57.4% of those cases, the frontal lobe being most frequently affected. Surgical treatment was performed in 68.1%, radiotherapy in 40.4% and chemotherapy in 17.0%.


CONCLUSIONS
After statistical analysis, there was a trend towards prolonged survival of female patients, patients with ICP symptoms and the surgical group. Data from different centers are essential to establish the best management of CM.
Andrade
Fernanda
F
Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo University Medical School (FMUSP), São Paulo SP, Brazil. fer_andrade@zipmail.com.br
Aguiar
Paulo Henrique
PH
Fontes
Ricardo Bragança de Vasconcellos
RB
Nakagawa
Edison
E
Teixeira
Joel Augusto
JA
Miura
Flavio Key
FK
Lepski
Guilherme
G
Marie
Suely Kazue Nagahashi
SK
Marino
Raul
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate