Abstract
Fifty-five cases of brain tumors over the age of sixty were analysed. Classification as to the type of tumor gave 19 metastatic tumors, 11 gliomas, 11 meningiomas, 6 pituitary adenomas, 4 acoustic neurinomas and 4 miscellaneous tumors. Among gliomas 6 cases were glioblastoma multiforme. In cases of metastatic tumors, the lung came first as the primary site.
Difficulties in diagnosis of brain tumors in the aged which had been heretofore emphasized by many authors, could be solved by introduction of computed tomography. Among 47 surgical cases of the author's series, only 2 cases of metastatic brain tumors died within 1 month after operation. Postoperative mortality rate of brain tumors in the aged was 4.3 per cent. However, postoperative survival period of gliomas in this age groups was much shorter than that of total gliomas in whole adult groups. The cause of such poor prognosis was discussed.
