
systemic chemotherapy
for cns metastases
of solid tumors
of the 13 cases studied, remissions were ob-
tained in eight.  this 62% remission rate is not
significant because of the number of variables
present.  however, we believe that chemother-
apy for this type of patient is indicated, as sup-
ported by the reported data.  the results suggest
that the blood supply to solid tumors is different
from that of tumors associated with hematopoi-
etic disorders.  the latter respond very poorly,
if at all, to systemic therapy.  although we were
not able to measure the central nervous system
(cns) lesions exactly, the regression of the
cns symptomatology was significant.  in pa-
tients who had other demonstrable metastatic
disease, those lesions also regressed.  with this
evidence we feel that patients with metastatic
cns lesions, even when these have recently
resulted in paralysis or seizures, should be con-
sidered for systemic chemotherapy.
