[Characteristics and treatment of CNS metastases in lung cancer]

Frequency of CNS involvement in 407 non-resected and 227 resected lung cancer were 29 and 5% in small cell, 26 and 10% in adenocarcinoma, 23 and 18% in large cell, and 10 and 5% in squamous cell carcinoma. High risk factors overlapped with factors contributing long-term survival in small cell carcinoma. In resected adenocarcinoma, frequency was highest in poorly differentiated type. Differences were not significant in response rates of brain irradiation according to histologic type and to the dose ranging 3000 to 5000 rads. Survival time after the brain surgery was better than irradiation in patients whose primary lung tumor were resected and was worse in non-resected.