Single brain metastases from kidney tumors. Clinico-pathologic considerations on a series of 29 cases

Twenty-nine cases of single cerebral metastases from renal carcinoma were the object of a retrospective and prospective study covering a period of 15 years (1975-1988). The best diagnostic means were NMR imaging with paramagnetic contrast medium and CAT scans after intravenous injection of a double dose of contrast medium. All patients underwent total surgical removal of the cerebral lesion. Radiotherapy was useful but had less influence on further reproduction than in metastases from tumors of other sites. The median survival was 28.1 months in patients who received radiotherapy and 23 months in the others. No significant difference in survival was found between the group of patients with unknown primary tumors and the other group with diagnosed primary neoplastic disease.