Risk and patterns of brain metastases in colorectal cancer: 27-year experience

In patients with colorectal cancer, brain metastasis is infrequent. This study aims to elucidate the risk, pattern of occurrence, and survival time after different treatment modalities.

A retrospective review of all patients with colorectal cancer admitted to the Veterans General Hospital-Taipei between 1970 and 1996 from our hospital was performed. Univariate analysis for survival determination was performed.

Brain metastases developed subsequent to surgery for colorectal cancer in 53 well-documented patients, at a median of 36 months after surgery. Brain metastases were more commonly seen in rectal cancer and often occurred concurrently with lung metastases. Forty of these patients received active intervention in terms of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, with surgical intervention achieving a significantly increased mean survival time (+/- standard deviation) compared with chemotherapy or radiotherapy or both of 86.6 +/-17.35 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.59 months (P < 0.05).

Increased awareness of the possibility of brain metastases, early diagnosis, and aggressive therapy can provide increased survival time for patients with colorectal cancer with brain metastases.