[Central nervous system metastases in small cell lung cancer]

Forty of 156 patients (26%) with small cell lung cancer developed central nervous system metastases (CNS metastases) in the course of the disease. CNS metastases were found in 8 patients at the time of the initial diagnosis and 32 patients had subsequent CNS involvement. CNS metastases were usually concurrent with disease progression at other sites and became more frequent as survival increased. With a median survival of 6 months in 1973 19% of patients developed CNS metastases as compared to 35% in 1978, when median survival had increased to 9.5 months. The value of prophylactic cranial irradiation is discussed.