Results of operative treatment of intracranial metastatic tumors.

Survival and quality of survival have been investigated in 79 patients operated for intracranial metastatic tumor during the decade 1967--1977. The 30-day mortality was 10%. Median survival varied between two and 14 months depending upon the type of primary tumor. The one-year survival was 22% and the two-year survival was 10%. Duration of survival depended strongly upon type of primary turmor and little upon preoperative condition, age, or sex. Fifty-three percent of neurologically impaired patients who survived for at least one month were in better condition after surgery and 5% were in worse condition.