Introduction Melanoma is a malignancy that originates primarily in the skin ( ), although melanomas can also arise from melanocytes in other pigmented tissues such as the uvea of the eye. Although there have been many improvements in the diagnosis,…
Introduction Incidence of Melanoma Brain Metastases Brain metastases (BMs) of melanoma are associated with a relatively poor prognosis and can affect quality of life. Unfortunately, BMs are a common event in metastatic melanoma. Symptomatic BMs represent the initial site of…
Introduction Breast cancer is the most common carcinoma in women, accounting for 23% of all female cancers globally ( ). The etiology of breast cancer is multifactorial, involving diet, reproductive factors, and hormones. The overall incidence is higher in developed…
Introduction Brain metastases (BM) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality and represent the most common intracranial tumors in adults, occurring in ∼20–30% of cancer patients ( ; ). With advances in diagnostic techniques and improvements in the treatment…
Introduction Breast cancer is a frequent source of systemic metastatic disease. The spread of cancer cells, from a primary location to multiple sites in the body, was first labeled as “metastasis” (Greek: displacement, μɛτα′ = next + στα′σιζ = placement) by Jean Claude Recamier in 1829.…
Introduction Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States ( ) and NSCLC comprises approximately 85% of lung cancer cases. It is estimated that 25% of patients present with Stage I and II disease (…
Introduction The annual incidence of lung cancer in 2012 in the United States was 226 160 patients (14% of all cancer patients), and an estimated 160 340 patients (28% of cancer mortality) will die of the disease ( ). About 20–44% of…
Introduction The most common origins of brain metastases in adults are lung (50–60%) and breast cancers (15–20%) ( ). Lung cancers are divided into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma,…
Introduction The development of brain metastases occurs in up to 44% of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly in patients with adenocarcinoma ( ). Brain metastases are associated with a poor prognosis, with a median overall survival…
Introduction Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) has been an integral part of the treatment of brain metastases for the last several decades. It has been shown to improve neurologic symptoms and quality of life, and decreases death from neurologic causes. Since its…