title: Patients with brain metastases from colorectal cancer are not condemned.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain metastases (BMs) from colorectal cancer are rare (2-3%). They usually occur in advanced stages of the disease and their prognosis is poor. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of surgical resection of BMs from colorectal cancer in terms of overall survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective bi-centric study included all patients with resected BMs from primary colorectal adenocarcinoma from 1998 to 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight patients [13 males, median: 62 (range: 44-86) years old) were included. Fifteen patients presented with other metastatic sites (lung, liver). BMs were metachronous in 16/28 (57%) of patients [median: 19 months (range: 7-97)]. Median overall survival reached 12 months. Brain recurrences occurred in 32% of patients and were treated by curative intent in 5/9 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When indicated, an aggressive management based on surgical resection of BMs from colorectal cancer, must be performed, in order to improve overall survival to at least 12 months.
authors: Department of Digestive and Oncological Surgery, Timone Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France dianemege@hotmail.fr.
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Mege
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Ouaissi
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Fuks
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Metellus
authors: Johann
authors: J
authors: Peltier
authors: Henri
authors: H
authors: Dufour
authors: Jean-Marc
authors: JM
authors: Regimbeau
authors: Laetitia
authors: L
authors: Dahan
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Sielezneff
authors: Bernard
authors: B
authors: Sastre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
keywords: Brain metastases; WBRT; colorectal cancer; surgical approach