Current approaches to the treatment of metastatic brain tumors

Abstract

Background/Aim. About 10% of patients diagnosed with systemic cancer leads to the appearance of brain metastases in the central nervous system. Diseased lungs, breasts, urinary and digestive tract as well as melanoma of the skin, are increasingly treated by neurosurgeons due to their dissemination and creation of secondary deposits in the brain. Methods. The retrospective study was performed at the Clinic for Neurosurgery and the Clinic for Oncology in the period from 2018 to 2020. 111 patients with solitary changes in the brain and 122 patients with multiple changes were examined. Results. It was found that multiple metastases are more common in primary lung cancer, while single metastases are more common in adenocarcinoma, but patients with primary adenocarcinoma died in a significantly higher number. Conclusion. Surgery and radiation remain the cornerstone of therapy for symptomatic lesions; We should strive to improve surgical techniques in the direction of less damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. Radiosurgery, as well as VBRT radiation, remain the basic form in the treatment of multiple metastases.