What Are Brain Metastases?

Metastases occur due to the primary tumor in the head.

Brain metastasis

Intracranial metastases (also known as brain metastases) refer to tumor cells that originally originated in other parts of the body and have been transferred into the skull. The incidence of intracranial metastases accounts for 3.5% -10% of intracranial tumors. It is believed that lung cancer has the most brain metastases at home and abroad. See, followed by melanoma, urogenital tumors, and digestive tract tumors. There are also a considerable number of patients who cannot find the primary tumor. Even if there is a brain metastasis, the source of the tumor cannot be determined after surgery. The peak age of onset is 40-60 years, with more men than women.

Affected area

head

Related diseases

Sarcoma meningiosarcoma brainstem tumor

Affiliated Department

Oncology Oncology

Related symptoms

Monoplegic brain metastasis hemiplegia optic nipple edema headache

Metastases occur due to the primary tumor in the head.

1. Medical history: In addition to asking for headaches, vomiting, blurred vision, hemiplegia or monoplegia, and insufficiency of speech, attention should be paid to the presence of malignant tumors of the lungs, breasts, adrenals, uterus, gastrointestinal tract, and thyroid Medical and surgical history.

2. Physical examination: check for neglect of nipple edema and brain signs, and pay attention to the location of primary tumors such as lungs, breasts, lymph nodes, abdominal cavity and pelvic organs to further determine the source of metastatic tumors.

3. CT and MRI scans: CT scans show single or multiple abnormal density shadows in the brain, and the boundaries are more clear. Large lesions may have low-density necrosis areas or high-density hemorrhages, and there are more severe edema around them. After strengthening, the solid part is obviously strengthened. MRI showed low signal on T1 weight and high signal on T2 weight. The enhanced morphological changes were similar to those seen with CT enhancement. MRI is currently the best diagnostic method for detecting brain metastases.

4. Whole body assisted examination: find the primary foci as far as possible. Examination of thyroid, liver, prostate, pelvic organs, stomach and lungs for tumor lesions by B-ultrasound, radionuclide scan, barium meal examination of the whole digestive tract, gastroscopy, chest radiograph, chest CT, etc.

Brain-turned tumors can show symptoms and signs at any time with the primary tumor. Generally, lung cancer, melanosis, and gastric cancer metastasize to the skull early, while breast cancer, sarcoma, and other gastrointestinal tumors metastasize to the skull. Later. Brain metastases have a short course and progressively worsen after the onset of the disease. If the tumor hemorrhage and necrosis suddenly worsen, it can also be stroke-like.

1. Medical history: In addition to asking for headaches, vomiting, blurred vision, hemiplegia or monoplegia, and slurred speech, pay attention to the presence of malignant tumors in the lungs, breasts, adrenals, uterus, gastrointestinal tract, and thyroid gland. Medical and surgical history.

2. Physical examination: check for neglect of nipple edema and signs of brain focus, and pay attention to the location of primary tumors such as lungs, breasts, lymph nodes, abdominal cavity and pelvic organs to further determine the source of metastatic tumors.

3. CT and MRI scans: CT scans show single or multiple abnormal density shadows in the brain, and the boundaries are clearer. Large lesions may have low-density necrosis areas or high-density hemorrhages, and there are more severe edema around them. After strengthening, the solid part is obviously strengthened. MRI showed low signal on T1 weight and high signal on T2 weight. The enhanced morphological changes were similar to those seen with CT enhancement. MRI is currently the best diagnostic method for detecting brain metastases.

4. Whole body assisted examination: find the primary foci as far as possible. Examination of thyroid, liver, prostate, pelvic organs, stomach and lungs for tumor lesions by B-ultrasound, radionuclide scan, barium meal examination of the whole digestive tract, gastroscopy, chest radiograph, chest CT, etc.

Indications for surgical treatment

Single metastatic tumor, the primary tumor has been removed or the primary tumor has not been found temporarily, and can tolerate surgery;

Multiple lesions, the larger one has caused significant intracranial hypertension to threaten the patient's life.

Contraindication

Primary tumors are advanced and have cachexia.

Multiple lesions with diffuse cerebral edema.

3. Gamma; knife or X-knife treatment is suitable for single or multiple metastases, and its effect is similar to surgical treatment. Patients with unresectable primary lesions and more than 3 lesions had poor curative effects.

4. Chemotherapy Select chemotherapeutic drugs according to the pathological nature of the primary foci.