The role of prognostic factors on survival of patients with brain metastases

Therapeutic results were evaluated in 220 patients with brain metastases treated from January 1992 to December 1999 at Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Zagreb University Hospital Center. The patients were aged 25 to 78 (median 56) years. The male to female ratio was 1.86:1. The most common site of primary tumor was bronchial carcinoma in 137/220 (62.3%) patients, followed by breast carcinoma in 32/220 (14.5%), melanoma in 10/220 (4.5%), gastrointestinal tumors in 10 (4.5%), hypernephroma in 6/220 (2.7%), ovarian IIIC carcinoma in 6/220 (2.7%), cervical IB small cell carcinoma in 2/220 (1%), and testicular carcinoma in 3/220 (1.8%) patients. In 14/220 (6.3%) patients the primary tumor was unknown. The patients were treated by surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in various combinations. A significantly better survival was recorded in Patients of younger age group (p < 0.05). The survival was also significantly better in female patients with breast carcinoma in comparison with other primary tumors (p < 0.001). According to treatment modalities, the best survival results were observed in patients treated by a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy (P < 0.001).