Brain metastases in colorectal cancer M. G. Pramateftakis • P. Hatzigianni • D. Kanellos • G. Vrakas • I. Kanellos • S. Agelopoulos • N. Ouzounidis • C. Lazaridis Published online: 4 August 2010 Ó Springer-Verlag 2010 Abstract Aim The aim of this study is the presentation of brain secondaries associated with colorectal cancer. Patients and methods In the period between 1990 and 2009, 670 patients with colorectal cancer were treated. Results From 670 patients, 5 patients were identified with brain metastases. The incidence was 0.73%. The median interval between the colorectal cancer and the development of the brain secondaries was 7.5 months. Median survival after the diagnosis of brain metastases was 4.3 months. Conclusion Brain metastases associated with colorectal cancer are relatively rare, but also a frequent cause of death. Keywords Colorectal cancer Á Brain metastases Introduction Brain metastases associated with colorectal cancer are relatively rare. In several reports, the incidence of brain metastases ranges between 1 and 4% [1–5]. Aim of this study is the presentation of brain secondaries associated with colorectal cancer. Patients and methods In the period between 1990 and 2009, 670 patients with colorectal cancer were treated. Five of these patients developed brain metastases, with an incidence of 0.73%. All patient’s data and information were studied and ana- lyzed retrospectively. As synchronous brain metastases were defined those diagnosed within 6 months of the pri- mary cancer. As metachronous metastases were considered those occurring after 6 months of the colorectal cancer. Results In our study, 5 patients developed brain secondaries. Four were male and one was female. The median age at diag- nosis of the metastasis was 55.7 years (38–72 years). The location of the primary tumor was for one of our patient at the rectum, for the next two at the sigmoid colon and for the last two at the right colon. The corresponding surgery performed for each of the reported patients was a low anterior resection for the first one, the next two underwent a sigmoidectomy and for the last two a right hemicolectomy was necessary. For the staging of the primary tumors, Duke’s staging system was used. According to this, there was one patient with Duke’s B, three patients with Duke’s C and one patient with Duke’s D patients had nodal metastases and 4 patients presented with liver metastases at the diagnosis of brain secondary. One of our patients had brain metastasis at the time the colorectal cancer was discovered. The symptoms of brain metastasis in this case preexisted and metastases at the liver were already concurrent. Brain metastases for the other four patients were discovered between 3 and 12 months M. G. Pramateftakis (&) Á P. Hatzigianni Á D. Kanellos Á G. Vrakas Á I. Kanellos Á S. Agelopoulos Á N. Ouzounidis Á C. Lazaridis 4th Surgical Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Antheon 1, Panorama, 55236 Thessaloniki, Greece e-mail: mpramateftakis@hotmail.com M. G. Pramateftakis Á P. Hatzigianni Á D. Kanellos Á G. Vrakas Á I. Kanellos Á S. Agelopoulos Á N. Ouzounidis Á C. Lazaridis Surgical Department, European Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece 123 Tech Coloproctol (2010) 14 (Suppl 1):S67–S68 DOI 10.1007/s10151-010-0624-x