INTRODUCTION: Encephalic metastases correspond to intracranial masses evaluated in both surgical procedures and autopsies. Overall, metastases involve the cerebral hemispheres of adults with a previous diagnosis of carcinoma. They are commonly found as solid lesions with an expansive growth, whose most frequent primary sites are lungs and breasts. OBJECTIVE: To determine the primary site, topography, histology and immunohistochemical profile of encephalic metastases. METHOD: 100 cases of intraparenchymal brain metastases, which had been previously analyzed between 1995 and 2009 at Hospital Conceição from Porto Alegre, were evaluated. The topography and the histological types involved were determined. The selected cases were submitted to immunohistochemical analysis to assess the primary site of these lesions. RESULTS: The mean age was 58.7 years old and 61 cases (59.89%) were found in males. The most common histological type was adenocarcinoma (56 cases-56%) and the most affected topography was the cerebral hemispheres (78 cases, 78%). The main primary sites were lungs (29%), breasts (16%), hematopoietic tissue (14%) and kidneys (12%). Statistical analysis did not determine association between histological type or primary site in relation to topography (p= 0.125). There was a concordance of 95% between the immunohistochemical profile and clinical information from the primary site. CONCLUSION: The set of morphological findings associated with immunohistochemical study of an encephalic metastatic lesion may suggest the primary site in several cases, which, therefore, requires the appropriate choice of antibody panel.
Brain neoplasms; Central nervous system neoplasms; Pathology; Immunohistochemistry; Neoplastic metastasis
