Clinical outcomes and survival benefits of craniotomy in breast cancer patients with brain metastases: Focusing on candidate selection and early mortality.

While craniotomy was associated with improved overall survival in the unadjusted analysis, this association was attenuated after propensity score matching, suggesting patient selection may substantially account for the observed difference.

Single brain metastasis and radiotherapy exposure were significant independent predictors of survival.

Short-term survivor analysis revealed two distinct mortality patterns: the majority died from disease progression, while three patients experienced surgery-related death within 30 days.