741 Brain metastases in colorectal cancer: An unusual metastatic site. Report of 15 cases treated with radiotherapy

From August 1991 to November 1994, we observed brain metastasis in 15 pts with colorectal cancer (CRC):4 Males/11 Females, median age 59 y (43–69), CRC staging 7B, 4C, 4D. Treatment of the primitive tremor consisted with surgery (8 pts) plus chemotherapy (CT) (4 pts) or radiation therapy (RT) (3 pts). 12 pts developed non CNS metastases mostly, hepatic and/or pulmonary (9 pts). 3 pts had isolated CNS metastases. Median time to first metastasis was 18 months (0–66) and median time to CNS metastases was 27 months (1–129). CNS treatment was RT (36 Gy) in all pts, 2 had a previous surgical excision. 10 pts died of CNS metastases, 3 pts of other metastases ± local recurrence. Median survival time was 3 months (0–17). 2 pts are alive with disease at 2 and 17 months. Brain metastases, classically unusual In CRC become more frequent, potentially because of the wider use of systematic CT. Despite RT, their prognosis remains very poor.