Solitary cerebral metastasis as first symptom of lung cancer

The authors report 35 cases of solitary brain metastasis from lung cancer manifesting clinically before the primary tumor. Surgical removal was total in 27 cases and partial in 8. All patients received postoperative radiotherapy. The primary tumor was diagnosed during the hospital stay in 12 cases, within two months of discharge in 18 cases, at necropsy in 5 cases. Median survival of patients was 16 months and the main cause of death was progression of the primary cancer (72% of cases). The clinical and pathological characteristics of solitary brain metastasis from lung cancer are reported in the light of the present 35 cases and those reported in the literature.