Surgical treatment of solitare brain metastases
Authors: Stanishevskiy A. V. , Gizatullin Sh. Kh. , Smolin A. V. , Kryukov E. V. 
Published: August 2022

Background. Brain metastasis occurs in 10–30 % of patients with different malignances. Despite of successes, achieved in the treatment of extracranial malignances in last decade, tendency to increase of the survival and duration of the disease-free period in patients with brain metastasis is absent. Several treatment modalities: chemotherapy, radiation, immune and target therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, different types of surgical procedures, however, an optimal combination of these methods remain unclear.

The aim of the study: to summarize experience of complex treatment of patients with brain metastases in hospital with opportunity of both surgical removal, chemo- and radiotherapy and review literature on the topic.

Materials and methods. The retrospective analysis of medical data of patients with brain metastases performed with assessment of most frequent sources of metastases, there value, localization, median survival duration from metastasis revealing due to different types of therapy, main period of recurrences and hospital state duration, early and late complications. Inclusion criteria were: patients with surgical treatment of brain metastases, availability of medical data. Exclusion criteria were: multiple brain metastases, contraindications for surgical treatment, sensitive to chemo- and radiation therapy malignances (leukoses, lymphoma, germinative tumors etc.). The assessment of degree of metastasis resection was made by postop CT and MRI with intravenous enhancement or by operation records. Intraoperative florescence was used for evaluation of tumor borders. In case of localization of metastasis in sensory or motor zones intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring acquired. Few operations for metastasis localized in speech zones were made with «asleep–awake–asleep» method. Follow-up assessed by questioning of patients and their relatives. Statistical analyzes performed in IBM SPSS Statistics 23.

Results. 52 patients meet criteria and were included to the study. Male to female ratio was 1 : 1, main age – 60 years.  The most common sources of brain metastases were (in decreasing order) melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer, rectal cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and uterus cancer. Two patients had 2 brain metastases at the time of assessment, other 50 – single. Most common localizations of brain metastases (in decreasing order) were: parietal lobe, frontal lobe, cerebellum hemispheres, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, ventricular system and brain meninges. In 46 % of cases metastases involves significant functional areas of brain. Median value of metastasis was 11 cm3; midline dislocation appeared in 65,4 % of cases; 6 patients have hemorrhage in the tumor, 2 – seizures, 2 – occlusive hydrocephalus. Main Karnofsky performance index – 73,8. Total resection performed in 84,6, subtotal resection – in 7,7 % of cases gross. Intraoperative fluorescence used in 73 %. In 10 cases metastasis localized in motor and sensory zones, all these cases were treat with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Postoperative hemiparesis noticed in 1 patient; 3 surgeries performed with awake; no aphasias mentioned. Follow-up was assessed in 44 patients, 20 of them were dead at the time of the study. An assessment of dependence of overall survival median on primary tumor morphology performed. Prognostic factors of brain metastases: its morphology and value, extent of resection, Karnofsky status and early complications.

Conclusions. Most patients with brain metastasis are in satisfactory condition. Most frequent tumors which form brain metastasis: melanoma and lung cancer, they are characterized by poorer prognosis. Most metastasis are supratentorial, intracranial hypertension is obvious. Metastasis localization, time from its evaluation to surgery, significant functional areas involvement and primary tumor resection aren’t fluent on survival.