The incidence of brain metastasis is on the rise and despite advances in treatment strategies, prognosis remains poor. Integrated data from multiple resources show the epidemiology and survival of patients with brain metastasis from several cancer types. The brain microenvironment is crucial in facilitating metastatic growth, and neuroinflammation plays a central role in shaping the brain metastatic niche. For details on recent advances in our understanding of the brain metastatic microenvironment and neuroinflammation, see review by Doron and colleagues on page 423.