SOLITARY BRAIN METASTASES FROM NON-OAT CELL LUNG-CANCER - CLINICAL AND PROGNOSTIC FEATURES

The authors report 91 cases of solitary brain metastasis from non-oat cell lung cancer, 66 patients were males and 25 females; average age w as 57 years (range 40-72 years). Surgical removal was total in 80 case s and partial in 11. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy and 40 chemotherapy. Histologically, the tumor was an adenocarcinoma i n 51 cases (56 %), a squamous cell carcinoma in 22 (24 %), an undiffer entiated carcinoma in 18 (20 %). Median survival was 16 months and the main cause of death was progression of the primary cancer (59 % of ca ses). Survival was influenced by staging of the primary tumor, while n o prognostic significance was found regarding the type of clinical tum or onset. type of radiotherapy and the histotype of the lesion. Use of the ''no internal touch'' technique and brain radiotherapy reduced lo cal brain relapse.