[Clinical assessment in patients presenting brain metastases]

Over the period January 1988 to January 1998, in the clinic of emergency neurology and neurosurgery of the University Hospital "Queen Giovanna"--Sofia a total of 348 patients with brain tumors are hospitalized. Of them 329 cases are subjected to operation, and in 19 no surgery is undertaken. Forty-four patients with metastatic brain tumors are operated, and in 14 no operation is done. Of those operated 25 (56.8%) are men, and 19 (43.2%)--women. The mean age of male patients is 53.9 years, and of female patients--54.4 years. In 35 cases the metastases are supratentorially situated, and in eight--subtentorially (a female patient has both supra- and subtentorial metastases). Reoperation is performed in three patients, and one dies after the operation. In 13 cases (29.5%) the primary focus of lesion is known prior to operation. Of all patients included in the series 6 present pulmonary carcinoma (46%), 5--melanoma (30.8%), 2--breast carcinoma (15.4%), and one--carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract (7.8%).