Management of solitary melanoma metastasis of the brain

A retrospective analysis of 31 patients operated upon for cerebral secondary melanoma was conducted. There was no operative mortality and no operative complications in 76% of cases. Significant and life-threatening complications occurred in five patients (17%). The major benefit from surgical excision is relief of symptoms: 64% had complete remission of symptoms while a further 20% were substantially improved. A few patients' lives were prolonged by surgery and there are a number of long-term survivors. Surgical excision should be performed when a patient has an accessible solitary cerebral secondary without evidence of melanoma elsewhere.