HE IMPORTANCE of careful study of the T lungs in patients having symptoms of cerebral neoplasm has long been recognized. The lungs are often involved by metastasis from tumors in other organs, and primary pulmonary tumors are frequently the site of origin for cerebral metastases. It is generally felt that the lungs tend to filter out some of the neoplastic cells spreading to the brain by a hematogenous route.ll* 21
How often do primary lung tumors metastasize to the brain? How early does this occur? Are the metastatic sites single and possibly amenable to resection, or are they most often multiple? And if, as many authors maintain, pulmonary cancer is undergoing an absolute increase in frequency, is it becoming a more important factor in metastatic brain-tumor questions have not yet been completely answered, since, in spite of many reviews of this subject, the statistics are incomplete. While this review of findings of Henry Ford Hospital cases does not provide absolute answers to all these problems, it is the opinion of the author that it does suggest certain trends that may be confirmed or refuted by similar studies elsewhere.
A review of more than sixty-five hundred autopsies performed at this hospital, plus a study of surgical specimens, reveals that the brain was secondarily involved by malignant tumors of various types in ninety-four cases, either by metastasis or extension. This series includes only cases verified by histological examination. Fifty-eight of these cases occurred in males, thirty-six in females. diagnosis?% 6, 8, 9. 1% 19, 27. 31, 3% 41, 43 These FINDINGS Age Groups. The ages of these patients are shown in Table 1. From these data, it is evident that, while the age group 51 to 60 was