Management of Cerebral Metastases from Melanoma Treated at a Single Institution

Abstract Objective This retrospective study aimed to analyze prognostic factors, effects of treatment, and survival outcome of patients with brain metastasis from melanoma at a single institution over the last 22 years. Methods Study transversal retrospective of 34 patients with brain metastases from melanoma, histologically proven, surgically treated by the Department of Neurosurgery at the Hospital Santa Isabel, Blumenau, over 22 years. Results The median patient age was 50 years and 67.6% of the patients were men. Most patients (70.6%) had a single cerebral metastasis and 29.4% had two three injuries. Twenty percent of the patients in this series had evidence of extracranial metastasis. The KPS at presentation was ≥70 in 12 patients (35.2%). Evidence of recurrent intracranial melanoma was found during follow-up review in 17.6% of patients. The overall median survival time from diagnosis of cerebral metastasis was 14.4 months. The absence of extracranial metastasis was associated with a significantly prolonged survival ( p = 0.052), as was adjuvant therapy ( p = 0.02). Conclusion The early diagnosis, with total resection of melanoma metastasis and association of adjuvant therapies showed a positive influence on survival. However, the number of lesions and extracranial disease decreased the survival rates.