Management of patients with brain metastases of unknown origin

During the years 1973-1987, 75 patients were irradiated for brain metastases of unknown origin at the Institute of Oncology in Ljubljana. Of these, 35 (47%) were previously treated by surgery: Metastases were completely removed in 22 patients and partially in 7, whereas biopsy alone was performed in 6 patients. Based on the examinations carried out during radiation therapy and at the time of follow-up, the primary sites of tumor were established as follows: The lung in 40 patients, the breast in 2, melanoma in 2, and the esophagus, kidney, and parotid gland in one patient, respectively. Primary tumor could not be detected in 28 (37%) patients. Metastases were microscopically verified in 48 cases in which anaplastic carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were most frequent. All the patients were irradiated on a cobalt unit, generally with doses of 10 x 300 cGy in 2 weeks. Median survival of the 22 patients with total removal of brain metastases was 9.5 months, one-year survival being achieved in 41% of cases. In the remaining patients median survival was 3 months, whereas only 12% of the patients survived one year. The cause of death were most frequently, i.e. in 45 patients, brain metastases.