FIVE CASES OF METASTATIC BRAIN TUMOR WITH SURGICAL TREATMENT OF BOTH METASTATIC AND PRIMARY LESIONS

Abstract

We report five cases of metastatic brain tumor preceded by neurological symptoms. All patients received removal of the brain tumors prior to resection of the primary lesions. The primary site of cancer was the lung in 3 patients, and esophagus and breast in one each. The number of brain tumor was one in four patients and 3 in one. The duration from the removal of the brain tumors to the resection of the primary lesions ranged from 0.5 to 6 months. Two patients with lung cancer, who did not undergo postoperative whole brain radiation therapy, died of recurrence of brain tumors 14 months and 15 months after the resection of the primary lesions, respectively. On the other hand, no recurrence of the brain tumor was found in 3 patients with postoperative whole brain radiation. One patient with breast cancer died 14 months, and two patients with esophageal and lung cancer are alive 30 months and 37 months after the resection of the primary lesions, respectively. Curative resection for both brain metastasis and primary lesions was performed in 2 patients surviving for more than two years. Resection of brain metastasis and primary lesions, and postoperative whole brain radiation therapy according to the progressive extent of the lesions would improve the prognosis.