Sarcoma metastatic to the brain.

Five patients with nonlymphomatous sarcoma metastatic to the brain are presented and the literature reviewed. In 50 patients, brain metastasis was verified pathologically and some case data were available, including the five reported here. In five patients, there was pathologic verification but no case data. Thirty-nine other patients were found without such verification. Reportedly, most types of sarcomas are able to metastasize to the brain, and are represented in these 94 patients. Fibrosarcoma and alveolar soft-part sarcoma tumors metastasize to the brain without regard to treatment technique. There may be a group of tumors, including malignant fibrous histiocytoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and perhaps leiomyosarcoma and osteosarcoma, in which the incidence of brain metastases has increased with improved sarcoma chemotherapy (CT). In this group particularly, but also in alveolar soft-part sarcoma and others, the presence of lung metastases may increase the probability of brain metastasis occurring subsequently.