In this multicenter, retrospective study of 160 brain biopsies in the asses
sment of HN-related focal brain lesions, diagnostic sensitivity was accepta
ble (87%), but the procedure carried considerable morbidity (7.5%) and mort
ality (3.1%). Moreover, it is not always possible to initiate the changes i
n therapy indicated by the results, and overall survival remains poor, with
a median of 2 months. Criteria for brain biopsy for the diagnosis of focal
brain lesions should be redefined to include selected patients for whom a
less invasive approach does not yield a definitive diagnosis.