Breast cancer and brain metastasis: epidemiological, clinical-neurological, and topographic analysis in patients treated at hospitals in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34119/bjhrv8n3-061Keywords:
Breast cancer, brain metastases, malignant breast neoplasms, clinical epidemiologyAbstract
Breast cancer is the leading cause of incidence and mortality among women in Brazil and worldwide, with significant clinical and social relevance. Its progression to brain metastasis worsens the prognosis and requires specific investigations. The scarcity of updated data hampers the development of effective management and monitoring strategies. This study aims to characterize the clinical-epidemiological profile of patients with breast cancer and brain metastasis treated at hospitals in Belo Horizonte/MG, investigating epidemiological aspects, clinical characteristics, neurological manifestations, anatomical location of metastases, and the time to their development. Conducted retrospectively, it included 248 patients treated between 2021 and 2024 at two public hospitals. Data were collected from medical records, and patients were divided into two groups, allowing both joint and comparative analyses. It was observed that patients with brain metastasis were, on average, younger and had a higher prevalence of triple-negative and HER-2 positive subtypes. Additionally, these patients were in more advanced stages (III/IV) and had multiple metastatic sites. Brain metastases were primarily located in the frontal and parietal lobes. The main neurological symptoms reported upon hospital admission were headache and mental confusion. The time between breast cancer diagnosis and the onset of brain metastasis varied between 1 and 9 years. The findings highlight the impact of brain metastases on patient prognosis and emphasize the importance of more rigorous clinical monitoring.
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