Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer.
Hasegawa T, Kondziolka D, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
BACKGROUND: Outcomes in patients with brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancers are not well defined. In this study we used precise, single-session, focal tumor irradiation (radiosurgery) in patients with brain metastases and evaluated the results. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients had brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer and were treated with radiosurgery. Thirty-two also had whole brain radiotherapy. Primary lesions included colorectal cancer (n = 25), esophageal cancer (n = 11), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1), duodenal cancer (n = 1), and jejunal cancer (n = 1). Seventy-two tumors were treated. RESULTS: The overall median survival was 9 months after diagnosis of metastatic brain disease and 5 months after radiosurgery. The 1-year survival rate after radiosurgery was 19%. The last imaging study of 49 tumors showed complete remission (CR) in 3 tumors (6.1%), partial remission (PR) in 27 tumors (55.1%), no change (NC) in 11 tumors (22.4%), and progression in 8 tumors (16.3%). The local tumor control rate (CR, PR, NC) was 84%. Two patients (5.1%) had a new or worsening neurologic deficit after radiosurgery. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery provides reasonable local control of brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer with few side effects. However, it should be used judiciously in patients with active extracranial cancers since the expected survival may be limited.
Publication Types:
PMID: 14670663 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Comment in:
Investigating the palliative efficacy of whole-brain radiotherapy for patients with multiple-brain metastases and poor prognostic features.
Gerrard GE, Prestwich RJ, Edwards A, Russon LJ, Richards F, Johnston CF, Kwok-Williams MC.
Cookridge Hospital, Cancer Research, Leeds, UK.
AIMS: Trials have shown that patients with multiple-brain metastases and poor prognostic features have a short median survival after whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Quality of life (QoL) and other parameters to assess the palliative efficacy of WBRT have not previously been studied in this group of patients. We therefore attempted to do this. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed three studies between 1997 and 2001. The two later studies were designed according to the results from the preceding study. Each of them revealed the difficulties in studying this group of unwell patients with a short survival. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were studied. They had at least two of three poor prognostic features, such as Karnofsky performance status (KPS) < 70, over 60 years of age, and primary other than breast cancer. The overall median survival was 8 weeks (95% CI 6-10). Twenty-four patients had a KPS < 70 and a median survival of 6 weeks (95% CI 4-9). At 8 weeks after WBRT, 14 out of 15 surviving patients for whom data were obtained suffered deterioration in QoL scores, Barthel or KPS. Ten of the 38 patients (26%, 95% CI 13-43%) improved in at least one of these parameters during the assessment period. Only three out of 38 patients discontinued steroids after the radiotherapy. Side-effects of WBRT were common. All patients experienced alopecia and lethargy after radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Further trials involving larger numbers of patients are necessary. These studies offer further information on the limited response rates to WBRT, side-effects and effects on QoL, which need to be discussed with patients before they accept or decline the offer of cranial irradiation.
Publication Types:
PMID: 14570092 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Analysis of tumor control and toxicity in patients who have survived at least one year after radiosurgery for brain metastases.
Varlotto JM, Flickinger JC, Niranjan A, Bhatnagar AK, Kondziolka D, Lunsford LD.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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PURPOSE: To better evaluate tumor control and toxicity from radiosurgery for brain metastases, we analyzed these outcomes in patients who had survived at least 1 year after radiosurgery. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We evaluated the results of gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for 208 brain metastases in 137 patients who were followed for a median of 18 months (range 12-122) after radiosurgery. The median patient age was 53 years (range 3-83). Ninety-nine patients had solitary metastases. Thirty-eight had multiple tumors. Sixty-nine patients underwent initial SRS with whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), 39 had initial SRS alone, and 27 patients had failed prior WBRT. The median treatment volume was 1.9 cm(3) (range 0.05-21.2). The median marginal tumor dose was 16 Gy (range 12-25). The most common histologic types included non-small-cell lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma, which comprised 37.0%, 22.6%, 13.0%, and 9.13% of the lesions, respectively. Forty-five tumors were associated with extensive edema. RESULTS: At 1 and 5 years, the local tumor control rate was 89.6% +/- 2.1% and 62.8% +/- 6.9%, distal intracranial relapse occurred in 23% +/- 3.6% and 67.1% +/- 8.7%, and postradiosurgical sequelae developed in 2.8% +/- 1.2% and 11.4% +/- 3.5% of patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis found that local control decreased with tumor volume (p = 0.0002), SRS without WBRT (p = 0.008), and extensive edema (p = 0.024); distal intracranial recurrence correlated with younger patient age (p = 0.0018); and postradiosurgical sequelae increased with increasing tumor volume (p = 0.0085). CONCLUSION: Long-term control of brain metastases and complication rates in this selective series of patients surviving >or=1 year after radiosurgery were similar to previously reported actuarial estimates. Large metastases and metastases associated with extensive edema can be difficult to control by radiosurgery, particularly without WBRT.
PMID: 12957257 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Survival benefit of stereotactic radiosurgery for metastatic brain tumors in patients with controlled primary lesions and no other distant metastases.
Niibe Y, Karasawa K, Nakamura O, Shinoura N, Okamoto K, Yamada R, Fukino K, Tanaka Y.
Department of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan.
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The prognosis of patients with metastatic brain tumors has been very poor so far because most patients with metastatic brain tumors had other metastatic lesions and/or active primary lesions. Moreover, if no active lesions existed, local control of conventional radiation therapy was not so good, which also led to the poor prognosis. Thus, we conducted the current study concerning whether survival benefit existed in patients with controlled primary lesions and no other distant metastases, who were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), a superior method for local control, for metastatic brain tumors. Seventy-seven patients with 90 metastatic brain tumors were treated with SRS between August 1999 and August 2001, at Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan. Of these, 10 patients with 17 metastatic brain tumors had primary lesions controlled and no other distant metastases were included in the current study. The median prescribed isocenter dose was 30 Gy (30-45 Gy) and the median prescribed peripheral dose was 25 Gy (12-30 Gy). One-year and 3-year local control rates were 90.0% and 90.0%, respectively. One-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 88.9% and 51.9%, respectively. These results suggest that SRS for metastatic brain tumors does have a survival benefit in patients with controlled primary lesions and no other distant metastases, which means that we should not treat these patients with palliative intent but pursue longer survival.
PMID: 14666618 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Three irradiation treatment options including radiosurgery for brain metastases from primary lung cancer.
Noel G, Medioni J, Valery CA, Boisserie G, Simon JM, Cornu P, Hasboun D, Ledu D, Tep B, Delattre JY, Marsault C, Baillet F, Mazeron JJ.
Radiotherapy department, Groupe Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, 47-83 boulevard de l'hopital, 75651 Paris Cedex 13, France.
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PURPOSE: To determine local control and survival rates in 92 patients with 145 brain metastases treated with three options of radiotherapy including stereotactic radiosurgery (SR). METHODS: Between July 1994 and August 2002, 92 consecutive patients with 145 metastases were treated with a SR, 34 with initially SR alone, 22 initially with an association of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and 36 with SR alone for recurrent new brain metastasis after WBRT. At time of treatment, extracranial disease was controlled in 46 (50%) and uncontrolled in 46 (50%). Pathologies were adenocarcinoma in 54 cases (59%), squamous cell carcinoma in 14 cases (15%), small cell carcinoma in 10 cases (11%) and miscellaneous in 14 cases (15%). All patients underwent only one treatment fraction for 1 or 2 metastases in 73 cases (83%) and for more than 2 metastases for the others. RESULTS: The characteristics of patients and metastases in the group treated initially with SR alone and in the group treated initially with WBRT+SR were comparable. Median follow-up was 29 months (18-36). Overall, the median and the 1- and 2-year rates of overall survival were, respectively, 9 months, 37 and 20%. A controlled extracranial disease, a high Karnofsky index and a low number of metastasis were independent prognostic factor of overall survival, respectively, HR 0.53 (95% CI 0.31-0.90, P=0.01), HR 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.97, P=0.0002), and HR 0.48 (95% CI 0.25-0.90, P=0.02). Thirteen metastases were not controlled (9%). Six-month and 1-year local control rate were, respectively, 93 and 86%. High delivered dose was an independent prognostic factor of local control, HR 0.41 (95% CI 0.18-0.95, P=0.03). A controlled extracranial disease was favourable independent prognostic factor of brain free-disease free survival, HR 0.47 (95% CI 0.2-0.98, P=0.04). Although there was a trend of a better local control, overall and brain disease free survivals rates in the WBRT+SR group compared to SR alone one, the difference were not statistically different. CONCLUSION: Local control and survival rates are acceptable for a palliative treatment for the three option of treatment. In this series, the number of patients is not enough great to conclude to the necessity of the association of WBRT to SR. Re-irradiation is a safe treatment after new metastases appeared in previously irradiated area.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12928124 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Efficacy of whole brain radiotherapy combined with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in metastatic brain tumors, and prognostic factors.
Kim HJ, Hong S, Kim S, Kim JH, Chie EK, Kim IH, Park CI, Ha SW, Wu HG, Kim DG, Kang WS.
Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
PURPOSE: We attempted to analyze the effectiveness of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) combined with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) in brain metastases. METHODS: Thirty-seven metastatic brain tumors in 29 patients without previous treatment were treated with WBRT plus FSRT, from October 1996 to February 2002. Four of the patients received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) prior to WBRT. Non-small cell lung cancer was the most common type of primary tumor (20/29). The total dose to the whole brain ranged from 30 Gy to 40 Gy, and the boost dose from FSRT ranged from 12 Gy to 40 Gy. End points were survival rate and local control rates. Factors influencing survival were evaluated. RESULTS: Median survival was 13 months, and actuarial survival rates at one and two years were 81% and 39%, respectively. Actuarial one and two year local control rates for all lesions were 78% and 71%, respectively. Survival was significantly associated with age, tumor size, presence of active extracranial tumors, and performance status. No acute or delayed complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that WBRT plus FSRT should be included in the treatment options for metastatic brain tumors, and we consider the effect of this non-invasive method to be quite good in patients with good prognostic factors, although other invasive modalities could also be effective in them.
PMID: 14514121 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Radiosurgery for brain metastasis: impact of CTV on local control.
Noel G, Simon JM, Valery CA, Cornu P, Boisserie G, Hasboun D, Ledu D, Tep B, Delattre JY, Marsault C, Baillet F, Mazeron JJ.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Groupe Pitie-Salpetriere, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, 47-83, Bd de l'Hopital, 75651 Cedex 13, Paris, France.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the present analysis was to assess whether adding a 1 mm margin to the gross tumour volume (GTV) improves the control rate of brain metastasis treated with radiosurgery (RS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All the patients had one or two brain metastases, 30 mm or less in diameter, and only one isocentre was used for RS. There were 23 females and 38 males. The median age was 54 years (34-76). The median Karnofsky performance status was 80 (60-100). At the time of RS, 23 patients had no evidence of extracranial disease and 38 had a progressive systemic disease. Thirty-eight patients were treated up-front with only RS. Twenty-three patients were treated for relapse or progression more than 2 months after whole brain radiotherapy. >From January 1994 to July 1995, clinical target volume (CTV) was equal to GTV without any margin (33 metastases). >From August 1995 to August 2000, CTV was defined as GTV plus a 1 mm margin (45 metastases). A dose of 20Gy was prescribed to the isocentre and 14Gy at the margin of CTV. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 10.5 months (1-45). The mean minimum dose delivered to GTV was 14.6Gy in the group without a margin and 16.8Gy in the group with a 1 mm margin (P<0.0001). The response of 11 metastases was never assessed because patients died before the first follow-up. Ten metastases recurred, eight in the group treated without a margin and two in the group treated with a 1 mm margin (P=0.01). Two-year local control rates were 50.7+/-12.7% and 89.7+/-7.4% (P=0.008), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the treatment group (P=0.008) and the tumour volume (P=0.009) were prognostic factors for local control. In multivariate analysis, only the treatment group with a 1 mm margin was an independent prognostic factor for local control (P=0.04, RR: 5.8, 95% CI [1.08-31.13]). There were no significant differences, either in overall survival rate or in early and late side effects, between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Adding a 1 mm margin to the GTV in patients treated with RS significantly improves the probability of metastasis control without increasing the side effects.
PMID: 12885447 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Brain metastases treated with radiosurgery alone: an alternative to whole brain radiotherapy?
Hasegawa T, Kondziolka D, Flickinger JC, Germanwala A, Lunsford LD.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) provides benefit for patients with brain metastases but may result in neurological toxicity for patients with extended survival times. Stereotactic radiosurgery in combination with WBRT has become an important approach, but the value of WBRT has been questioned. As an alternative to WBRT, we managed patients with stereotactic radiosurgery alone, evaluated patients' outcomes, and assessed prognostic factors for survival and tumor control. METHODS: One hundred seventy-two patients with brain metastases were managed with radiosurgery alone. One hundred twenty-one patients were evaluable with follow-up imaging after radiosurgery. The median patient age was 60.5 years (age range, 16-86 yr). The mean marginal tumor dose and volume were 18.5 Gy (range, 11-22 Gy) and 4.4 ml (range, 0.1-24.9 ml). Eighty percent of patients had solitary tumors. RESULTS: The overall median survival time was 8 months. The median survival time in patients with no evidence of primary tumor disease or stable disease was 13 and 11 months. The local tumor control rate was 87%. At 2 years, the rate of local control, remote brain control, and total intracranial control were 75, 41, and 27%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, advanced primary tumor status (P = 0.0003), older age (P = 0.008), lower Karnofsky Performance Scale score (P = 0.01), and malignant melanoma (P = 0.005) were significant for poorer survival. The median survival time was 28 months for patients younger than 60 years of age, with Karnofsky Performance Scale score of at least 90, and whose primary tumor status showed either no evidence of disease or stable disease. Tumor volume (P = 0.02) alone was significant for local tumor control, whereas no factor affected remote or intracranial tumor control. Eleven patients developed complications, six of which were persistent. Nineteen (16.5%) of 116 patients in whom the cause of death was obtained died as a result of causes related to brain metastasis. CONCLUSION: Brain metastases were controlled well with radiosurgery alone as initial therapy. We advocate that WBRT should not be part of the initial treatment protocol for selected patients with one or two tumors with good control of their primary cancer, better Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and younger age, all of which are predictors of longer survival.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12762877 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Linac-based radiosurgery of cerebral melanoma metastases. Analysis of 122 metastases treated in 64 patients.
Herfarth KK, Izwekowa O, Thilmann C, Pirzkall A, Delorme S, Hofmann U, Schadendorf D, Zierhut D, Wannenmacher M, Debus J.
Division of Radiation Oncology, German Cancer Research Center, and Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
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PURPOSE: Stereotactic radiosurgery is an alternative option to neurosurgical excision in the management of patients with brain metastases. We retrospectively analyzed patients with brain metastases of malignant melanoma who were treated at our institution for outcome and prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 64 patients with 122 cerebral metastases were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery between 1986 and 2000. Twelve patients (19%) showed neurologic symptoms at the time of treatment, and 46 patients (72%) had extracerebral tumor manifestation at that time. The median dose to the 80% isodose line, prescribed to encompass the tumor margin, was 20 Gy (range, 15-22 Gy). RESULTS: Neurologic symptoms improved in five of twelve symptomatic patients. 41 patients remained asymptomatic or unchanged in their neurologic symptoms. Only five patients (8%) temporarily worsened neurologically after therapy despite no signs of tumor progression. With a mean follow-up time of 9.4 months, actuarial local control was 81% after 1 year. There was a statistically significant dose and size dependency of local tumor control. Median actuarial survival after treatment was 10.6 months. Patients without extracerebral tumor manifestation showed a superior survival (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Despite high local tumor control rates, the prognosis of patients with cerebral metastases of malignant melanoma remains poor. Stereotactic radiosurgery has the potential of stabilizing or improving neurologic symptoms in these patients in a palliative setting.
PMID: 12789461 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Radiosurgery followed by planned observation in patients with one to three brain metastases.
Lutterbach J, Cyron D, Henne K, Ostertag CB.
Abteilung Strahlenheilkunde, Radiologische Universitatsklinik, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of radiosurgery alone in patients with brain metastases. There were three specific study goals: 1) to determine whether survival of patients selected for this treatment approach can be predicted successfully by use of the recursive partitioning analysis classification defined by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group; 2) to evaluate local control; and 3) to identify risk factors of cerebral failure. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with Karnofsky Performance Scale scores of at least 50 and up to three brain metastases, each 3 cm or less in maximum diameter, were treated with radiosurgery alone. Survival, local control, distant brain freedom from progression (FFP), and overall brain FFP were evaluated according the method of Kaplan and Meier. Risk factors for survival and overall brain FFP were analyzed using the Cox model. RESULTS: Median survival was 13.4 months, 9.3 months, and 1.5 months for patients in recursive partitioning analysis Classes 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P < 0.0001). At 1 year, local control, distant brain FFP, and overall brain FFP were 91, 53, and 51%, respectively. An interval greater than 2 years between diagnosis of the primary tumor and diagnosis of brain metastases and the presence of a single brain metastasis were associated with significantly higher overall brain FFP. CONCLUSION: Recursive partitioning analysis classification successfully predicted survival. Radiosurgery alone yielded high local control. Overall brain FFP was highest in patients with an interval greater than 2 years between primary diagnosis and diagnosis of a single brain metastasis.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12699548 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Comment in:
Radiosurgery in patients with renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the brain: long-term outcomes and prognostic factors influencing survival and local tumor control.
Sheehan JP, Sun MH, Kondziolka D, Flickinger J, Lunsford LD.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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OBJECT: Renal cell carcinoma is a leading cause of death from cancer and its incidence is increasing. In many patients with renal cell cancer, metastasis to the brain develops at some time during the course of the disease. Corticosteroid therapy, radiotherapy, and resection have been the mainstays of treatment. Nonetheless, the median survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma metastasis is approximately 3 to 6 months. In this study the authors examined the efficacy of gamma knife surgery in treating renal cell carcinoma metastases to the brain and evaluated factors affecting long-term survival. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective review of 69 patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery for a total of 146 renal cell cancer metastases. Clinical and radiographic data encompassing a 14-year treatment interval were collected. Multivariate analyses were used to determine significant prognostic factors influencing survival. The overall median length of survival was 15 months (range 1-65 months) from the diagnosis of brain metastasis. After radiosurgery, the median survival was 13 months in patients without and 5 months in those with active extracranial disease. In a multivariate analysis, factors significantly affecting the rate of survival included the following: 1) younger patient age (p = 0.0076); 2) preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale score (p = 0.0012); 3) time from initial cancer diagnosis to brain metastasis diagnosis (p = 0.0017); 4) treatment dose to the tumor margin (p = 0.0252); 5) maximal treatment dose (p = 0.0127); and 6) treatment isodose (p = 0.0354). Prior tumor resection, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or whole-brain radiation therapy did not correlate with extended survival. Postradiosurgical imaging of the brain demonstrated that 63% of the metastases had decreased, 33% remained stable, and 4% eventually increased in size. Two patients (2.9%) later underwent a craniotomy and resection for a tumor refractory to radiosurgery or a new symptomatic metastasis. Eighty-three percent of patients died of progression of extracranial disease. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of renal cell carcinoma metastases to the brain provides effective local tumor control in approximately 96% of patients and a median length of survival of 15 months. Early detection of brain metastases, aggressive treatment of systemic disease, and a therapeutic strategy including radiosurgery can offer patients an extended survival.
PMID: 12593621 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Prospective study of stereotactic radiosurgery without whole brain radiotherapy in patients with four or less brain metastases: incidence of intracranial progression and salvage radiotherapy.
Chitapanarux I, Goss B, Vongtama R, Frighetto L, De Salles A, Selch M, Duick M, Solberg T, Wallace R, Cabatan-Awang C, Ford J.
Section of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the treatment outcome after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone with special attention to its influence on intracranial freedom from progression (FFP), local control, time to whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and survival. Forty-one patients with brain metastases who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this prospective cohort and treated by SRS alone between January 1998 and September 2001. The overall local control rate was 76%. The one year actuarial intracranial FFP was 33%. Ten patients (24%) had relapse at treated site. Twenty-three patients (56%) had intracranial progression with a median time of 4.25 months (1-24.6). Salvage radiotherapy was given in 21 patients (51%). Only 12 (29%) patients required WBRT with the median time to WBRT after SRS of 4.85 months. Nine patients (22%) underwent additional SRS at the median time of 5 months after the first procedure. The median survival was 10 months. At the time of follow up, 16 patients (39%) were still alive with a range of 6-31 months. This prospective study suggests that the omission of WBRT in the initial treatment of patients with SRS for four or less brain metastases may allow up to 70% of patients to avoid WBRT.
PMID: 12622453 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Properly selected patients with multiple brain metastases may benefit from aggressive treatment of their intracranial disease.
Pollock BE, Brown PD, Foote RL, Stafford SL, Schomberg PJ.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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To determine whether properly selected patients with multiple brain metastases benefit from aggressive treatment of their intracranial disease, we reviewed 52 patients having stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), tumor resection, or both between April 1997 and March 2000. Tumor histology included lung (n = 18, 35%), breast (n = 11, 21%), renal (n = 6, 12%), melanoma (n = 6, 12%), and other (n = 11, 21%). The median patient age was 58 years, the median Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was 90, and the median number of tumors was three. Twenty patients (39%) had progressed after prior radiation therapy. Treatment included multiple craniotomies and tumor resection (n = 5, 10%), radiosurgery (n = 31, 60%), or resection and radiosurgery (n= 16, 30%). Median survival was 15.5 months. The one- and two-year actuarial survivals were 63% and 27%, respectively. Multivariate analysis found radiation therapy oncology group recursive partitioning analysis (RTOG RPA) Class (1 vs. 2/3) correlated with improved survival (Relative risk = 2.60, 95% CI 1.13-5.97, p = 0.03). Class 1 patients (KPS > or = 70, age < 65 years, and controlled primary with no extracranial metastases) survived a median of 19 months whereas Class 3 patients (KPS < 70) survived 8 months. Class 2 patients (all other patients) survived a median of 13 months. Thirty-five patients (67%) had intracranial progression at a median of 8.0 months. Intracranial progression was local (n = 6), distant (n = 23), or local and distant (n = 6); 26 patients with intracranial progression underwent additional brain tumor treatments. Multivariate analysis found patients with radiosensitive tumors (lung, breast, other) had fewer intracranial recurrences compared to patients with radio-resistant tumors (melanoma, renal, sarcoma) (Relative risk = 2.43, 95% CI 1.13-5.10, p = 0.02). The length of survival in our series is quite comparable to historical reports on the management of brain metastasis patients, and supports aggressive intervention for RTOG RPA Class 1 patients and Class 2 patients with controlled primary disease who have a limited number of brain metastases.
Publication Types:
- Review
- Review of Reported Cases
PMID: 12587798 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class does not predict survival in patients with four or more brain metastases.
Nieder C, Andratschke N, Grosu AL, Molls M.
Department of Radiotherapy and Radiologic Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Germany.
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BACKGROUND: We evaluated prognostic factors for survival in patients with four or more brain metastases in order to determine whether intense local treatment might be justified for some of them. If up to three brain metastases are present, surgical resection or radiosurgery are currently being considered in case of favorable prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective intention-to-treat analysis of 113 patients who underwent whole-brain radiotherapy without surgical resection or radiosurgery at a single institution. Standard treatment was given with ten fractions of 3 Gy. Higher total doses were administered in 13% of patients. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) prognostic classes have been described by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) in 1997 (class I: Karnofsky performance status [KPS] > or = 70%, age < or = 65 years, no extracranial metastases, controlled primary tumor; class III: KPS < 70%; class II: others). RESULTS: Median number of brain metastases was six (four to 50). Most patients (69%) had extracranial metastases as well. Criteria of RPA Class I (II) were met in 4% (41%), whereas 56% had KPS < 70% and thus were grouped into class III (Tables 1 and 2). Complete or partial remission of brain metastases was found in 46% of patients who underwent computed tomography. Median survival was 4 months, 1-years survival rate 15%. Only age was a borderline significant prognostic factor in univariate analysis (< or = 50 years vs > 50 years, p = 0.05). Strong trends were found for KPS, extracranial metastases, control of the primary tumor, and breast primary tumor. Number of brain metastases, RPA class and treatment-related factors such as total dose or remission of brain metastases had no appreciable influence on survival (Figure 1). Multivariate analysis failed to identify any significant prognostic factor. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with four or more brain metastases seem to represent a group with unfavorable prognosis where remission of brain metastases or administration of more than 30 Gy were not associated with increased survival. The number of patients in RPA class I was too small to draw final conclusions. However, there was absolutely no survival difference between patients in class II (median survival 3.6 months) and III (median 4.2 months).
PMID: 12540980 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial metastatic melanoma: a 6-year experience.
Gonzalez-Martinez J, Hernandez L, Zamorano L, Sloan A, Levin K, Lo S, Li Q, Diaz F.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial metastatic melanoma and to identify prognostic factors related to tumor control and survival that might be helpful in determining appropriate therapy. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with intracranial metastases (115 lesions) metastatic from melanoma underwent radiosurgery. In 14 patients (58.3%) whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) was performed, and in 12 (50%) chemotherapy was conducted before radiosurgery. The median tumor volume was 4 cm3 (range 1-15 cm3). The mean dose was 16.4 Gy (range 13-20 Gy) prescribed to the 50% isodose at the tumor margin. All cases were categorized according to the Recursive Partitioning Analysis classification for brain metastases. Univariate and multivariate analyses of survival were performed to determine significant prognostic factors affecting survival. The mean survival was 5.5 months after radiosurgery. The analyses revealed no difference in terms of survival between patients who underwent WBRT or chemotherapy and those who did not. A significant difference (p < 0.05) in mean survival was observed between patients receiving immunotherapy or those with a Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score of greater than 90. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment with systemic immunotherapy and a KPS score greater than 90 were factors associated with a better prognosis. Radiosurgery for melanoma-related brain metastases appears to be an effective treatment associated with few complications.
PMID: 12507084 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Gamma knife radiosurgery for renal cell carcinoma brain metastases.
Hernandez L, Zamorano L, Sloan A, Fontanesi J, Lo S, Levin K, Li Q, Diaz F.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in achieving a partial or complete remission of so-called radioresistant metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to propose guidelines for optimal treatment METHODS: During a 5-year period, 29 patients (19 male and 10 female) with 92 brain metastases from RCC underwent GKS. The median tumor volume was 4.7 cm3 (range 0.5-14.5 cm3). Fourteen patients (48%) also underwent whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) before GKS, and two patients (6.8%) after GKS. The mean GKS dose delivered to the 50% isodose at the tumor margin was 16.8 Gy (range 13-30 Gy). All cases were categorized according to the Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) classification for brain metastases. Univariate analysis was performed to determine significant prognostic factors and survival. The overall median survival was 7 months after GKS treatment. Age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and controlled primary disease were not predictors of survival. Combined WBRT/GKS resulted in median survival of 18, 8.5, and 5.3 months for RPA Classes I, II, and III, respectively, compared with the median survival 7.1, 4.2, and 2.3 months for patients treated with WBRT alone. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that WBRT combined with GKS may improve survival in patients with brain metastases from RCC. Furthermore, this improvement in survival was seen in all RPA classes.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12507083 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Radiosurgery for non-small cell lung carcinoma metastatic to the brain: long-term outcomes and prognostic factors influencing patient survival time and local tumor control.
Sheehan JP, Sun MH, Kondziolka D, Flickinger J, Lunsford LD.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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OBJECT: Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of death from cancer. More than 25% of those patients with lung cancer develop a brain metastasis at some time during the course of their disease. Corticosteroid therapy, radiotherapy, and resection have been the mainstays of treatment. Nonetheless, the median survival for patients with lung carcinoma metastasis is approximately 3 to 6 months. The authors examine the efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for treating non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) metastases to the brain and evaluate factors affecting long-term patient survival. METHODS: A retrospective review of 273 patients who had undergone GKS to treat a total of 627 NSCLC metastases was performed. Clinical and neuroimaging data encompassing a 14-year treatment interval were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine significant prognostic factors influencing patient survival. The overall median patient survival time was 15 months (range 1-116 months) from the diagnosis of brain metastases. The median survival was 10 months from GKS treatment in those patients with adenocarcinoma and 7 months for those with other histological tumor types. In patients with no active extracranial disease at the time of GKS, the median survival time was 16 months. In multivariate analyses, factors significantly affecting survival included: 1) female sex (p = 0.014); 2) preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale score (p < 0.0001); 3) adenocarcinoma histological subtype (p = 0.0028); 4) active systemic disease (p = 0.0001); and 5) time from lung cancer diagnosis to the development of brain metastasis (p = 0.0074). Prior tumor resection or whole-brain radiation therapy did not correlate with extended patient survival time. Postradiosurgical imaging of brain metastases revealed that 60% decreased, 24% remained stable, and 16% eventually increased in size. Factors affecting local tumor control included tumor volume (p = 0.042) and treatment isodose (p = 0.015). Fourteen patients (5.1%) later underwent craniotomy and tumor resection for tumor refractory to GKS or a new symptomatic metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma knife surgery for NSCLC metastases affords effective local tumor control in approximately 84% of patients. Early detection of brain metastases, aggressive treatment of systemic disease, and a therapeutic strategy including GKS can afford patients an extended survival time.
PMID: 12507123 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Gamma-knife radiosurgery for brain metastasis of renal cell carcinoma: results in 42 patients.
Hoshi S, Jokura H, Nakamura H, Shintaku I, Ohyama C, Satoh M, Saito S, Fukuzaki A, Orikasa S, Yoshimoto T.
Department of Urology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Aobaku, Sendai, Japan.
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BACKGROUND: The present study provides data from clinical experience with gamma-knife radiosurgery (GK) in patients with brain metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and shows the value of this less invasive treatment modality. METHODS: Forty-two patients received GK. Twenty of the 42 cases had multiple brain metastases. Extracranial metastases were observed in the lung (38 cases), bone (12 cases), liver (9 cases), lymph node (5 cases) and skin (6 cases). RESULTS: Neurological symptoms seen in 40 patients were rapidly improved after GK in 32 patients (80%). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation after GK in 32 patients showed the disappearance of brain tumor in 9 patients (28%). Complete response was obtained by GK in tumors up to 30 mm in diameter. Repeated GK for newly developed lesions was conducted in 11 patients. Extracranial tumor resection was conducted in 7 cases (lung: 3, skin: 2, liver: 1, adrenal: 1). Chemo-radiotherapy or immunotherapy was effective in 8 cases (lung: 5, liver: 2, bone: 1). The actual one-, two- and three-year survival rates were 44.9%, 16.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. The median survival time was 12.5 months. In univariate analysis, the patients with successfully treated extracranial metastases had significantly better prognosis. In multivariate analysis, the patients with Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) > or = 80%, who were treated by GK more than once and obtained complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) by GK, had significantly better prognosis. CONCLUSION: Gamma-knife radiosurgery for RCC is an effective non-invasive modality of treatment. It offers a high local control rate and an improved quality of life and survival rate.
Publication Types:
PMID: 12534903 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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CyberKnife stereotactic irradiation for metastatic brain tumors.
Shimamoto S, Inoue T, Shiomi H, Sumida I, Yamada Y, Tanaka E, Inoue T.
Department of Multidisciplinary Radiotherapy, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
BACKGROUND: The CyberKnife provides a new technique for performing frameless stereotactic irradiation. So far, few reports have been published on clinical outcomes obtained with the CyberKnife. This report summarizes our clinical experience with CyberKnife irradiation for metastatic brain tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven lesions (48 patients) were evaluated and analyzed, and 66 lesions in 41 patients were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The prescribed dose was 9 to 30 Gy. RESULTS: Freedom from progression of the tumors was more likely with a prescribed dose of at least 24 Gy than with one of less than 20 Gy (p=0.0244; log-rank test). The CR (complete response) rate was significantly higher when D99 was at least 24 Gy (p=0.0045). There were no severe side effects. CONCLUSION: Stereotactic irradiation with the CyberKnife for metastatic brain tumors is effective and safe. D99 should be at least 24 Gy for CyberKnife SRS treatment.
PMID: 12553343 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Repeated gamma knife surgery for multiple brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma.
Wowra B, Siebels M, Muacevic A, Kreth FW, Mack A, Hofstetter A.
Gamma Knife Praxis, Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universily, Munich, Germany.
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OBJECT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic profile of repeated gamma knife surgery (GKS) for renal cell carcinoma that has metastasized to the brain on multiple occasions. METHODS: Data from this study were culled from a single institution and cover a 6-year period of outpatient radiosurgery. A standard protocol for indication, dose planning, and follow up was established. In cases of distant or local recurrences, radiosurgery was undertaken repeatedly (up to six times in one individual). Seventy-five patients harboring 350 cerebral metastases were treated. Relief from pretreatment neurological symptoms occurred in 72% of patients within a few days or a few weeks after the procedure. The actuarial local tumor control rate after the initial GKS was 95%. In patients free from relapse of intracranial metastases after repeated radiosurgery, long-term survival was 91% after 4 years; median survival was 11.1+/-3.2 months after radiosurgery and 4.5+/-1.1 years after diagnosis of the primary kidney cancer. Survival following radiosurgery was independent of patient age and sex, side of the renal cell carcinoma, pretreatment of the cerebrum by using radiotherapy or surgery, number of brain metastases and their synchronization with the primary renal cell carcinoma, and the frequency of radiosurgical procedures. In contrast, survival was dependent on the patient's clinical performance score and the extracranial tumor status. Tumor bleeding was observed in seven patients (9%) and late radiation toxicity (LRT) in 15 patients (20%). Treatment-related morbidity was moderate and mostly transient. Late radiation toxicity was encountered predominantly in long-term survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient repeated radiosurgery is an effective and only minimally invasive treatment for multiple brain metastases from renal cell cancer and is recommended as being the method of choice to control intracranial disease, especially in selected patients with limited extracranial disease. Physicians dealing with such patients should be aware of the characteristic aspects of LRT.
PMID: 12405364 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Erratum in:
- Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2002 May 1;53(1):259.
Comment in:
Risk of symptomatic brain tumor recurrence and neurologic deficit after radiosurgery alone in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases: results and implications.
Regine WF, Huhn JL, Patchell RA, St Clair WH, Strottmann J, Meigooni A, Sanders M, Young AB.
Department of Radiation Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0084, USA.
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PURPOSE: A single-institution experience using primary stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone in the management of newly diagnosed brain metastases was analyzed to identify the risk of symptomatic brain tumor recurrence (BTR) and neurologic deficit associated with such a treatment strategy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-six patients were treated for newly diagnosed single/multiple brain metastases using SRS alone followed by planned observation. SRS minimum tumor dose ranged from 8 to 25 Gy (median: 20 Gy). Factors evaluated in analysis of treatment outcome included number of metastases, site of metastasis, primary tumor site, histology, extent of intracranial and extracranial disease, and interval to diagnosis of brain metastasis. RESULTS: Median and 1-year survival for the entire group was 9 months and 36%, respectively. BTR anywhere in the brain occurred in 47% (17/36) of patients. Forty-seven percent of BTR (8/17) recurred at the site of original metastasis; 35% (6/17) recurred at both original [corrected] and distant sites in the brain, and 18% (3/17) recurred at distant only [corrected] brain sites. Seventy-one percent (12/17) of the patients were symptomatic at the time of recurrence, and 59% (10/17) had an associated neurologic deficit. Multivariate analysis found that only the extent of disease was a predictor of BTR. Patients who had disease limited to the brain only had a BTR rate of 80% (8/10) vs. 35% (9/26) who had disease involving the brain, primary site, and/or other extracranial metastatic sites (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Use of primary SRS alone in this setting is associated with an increasingly significant risk of BTR with increasing survival time. In addition, the majority of such recurrences are symptomatic and associated with a neurologic deficit, a finding not analyzed in recently reported experiences withholding whole brain radiation therapy as part of the primary treatment of brain metastasis.
PMID: 11872278 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Gamma knife radiosurgery for brain metastases: do patients benefit from adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy? An 18-month comparative analysis.
Jawahar A, Willis BK, Smith DR, Ampil F, Datta R, Nanda A.
Department of Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze 18 months of results of gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of brain metastases and determine factors affecting outcome by examining the effectiveness of additional external-beam radiotherapy (XRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2000 and September 2001, 61 patients with 103 tumors diagnosed as cerebral metastases were treated with gamma knife. Mean patient age was 57 years (range = 36-81). Lung carcinoma (55.7%) was the most common primary cancer, followed by melanoma (14.8%) and breast carcinoma (11.5%). Mean KPS of the patients was 70 (range = 50-90). Twenty-seven patients had solitary metastases while 34 had multiple tumors. Forty-three patients (59 tumors in total) received only radiosurgery, while 18 patients (44 tumors in total) had prior XRT. Tumor volume ranged from 0.5 to 33 cm(3) (mean = 9.74 cm(3)). Mean marginal dose prescription to the tumor was 15 Gy (range = 11-21 Gy). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 11 months. Twenty-one patients (34.4%) were alive at last follow-up and 40 (65.6%) had died. Seventeen deaths (42.5%) were reported to be due to progressive brain disease, while 23 deaths (57.5%) were due to uncontrolled primary. Control of the treated lesions was achieved in 45 patients (73.8%) and 84 tumors (81.6%). Mean overall survival of the patients is 8 months (range = 1-19 months). The actuarial 12-month tumor control rate using the Kaplan-Meier method for this series is 68.2 +/- 0.06%. Results of the log-rank test revealed that younger age (<55 years), small tumor volume (<10 cm(3)), and increasing tumor dose (>15 Gy) correlated with improved brain disease-free survival (p < 0.05). Overall survival, local tumor control rate and the freedom from brain disease period (based on the appearance of new brain tumors after radiosurgery) were analyzed separately for the groups receiving radiosurgery alone and those with prior XRT to detect any additional benefit of XRT. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups for any of the considered outcomes. CONCLUSION: Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with cerebral metastases. It provides survival benefits and improves quality of life by achieving excellent control of the brain disease, irrespective of patients' age or number of brain tumors. The addition of XRT in younger patients with small brain metastases does not improve survival and/or control of the brain disease. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel
Publication Types:
- Clinical Trial
- Historical Article
PMID: 12890985 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Radiosurgery for brain metastases: who may not benefit?
Weltman E, Salvajoli JV, Brandt RA, de Morais Hanriot R, Prisco FE, Cruz JC, de Oliveira Borges S, Lagatta M, Ballas Wajsbrot D.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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PURPOSE: To select a group of patients with brain metastases for whom stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) may not be beneficial. PATIENTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: Actuarial survival of 87 patients with brain metastases treated with SRS between July 1993 and May 1999 was retrospectively analyzed under stratification by the Score Index for Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases (SIR). To identify the group of patients most likely to survive less than 6 months after SRS, Cox model survival curves were calculated for all SIR values, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated for two SIR subsets (0-5 and 6-10) and were compared by log-rank test. RESULTS: Overall median survival after SRS was 6.88 months. The stratification of patients into two SIR subsets (0-5 and 6-10) sustained statistical significance regarding survival with p = 0.0001. The median survival time for the group of patients with SIR between 0 and 5 was 4.52 months (95% confidence interval of 2.82 to 5.84 months). Survival probability at 6 months for this group of patients with poor prognosis was 35.6%. CONCLUSION: Patients with brain metastases and SIR of 5 or lower have an expected median survival of less than 6 months after treatment with radiosurgery. Thus, radiosurgery may not be beneficial for this group of patients.
PMID: 11728693 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Fractionated radiosurgery for brain metastases in 43 patients with breast carcinoma.
Lederman G, Wronski M, Fine M.
Department Radiation Oncology, Staten Island University Hospital, New York, NY 10305, USA.
About 15% of metastatic breast carcinoma patients are diagnosed with brain metastases. Historically, the majority are treated with palliative external whole-brain radiation with a median survival of 4 months. We examined stereotactic radiosurgery's effect on treatment outcome in such patients. Four hundred and fifty four consecutive patients with brain metastases were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery at Staten Island University Hospital, NY, between 1991 and 1999. The medical records of 60 women with histologically confirmed breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-three patients (71%) received fractionated radiosurgery (4 x 600 cGy) and form the core of this report. Sixty five percentage had been previously unsuccessfully treated by whole-brain radiation or had recurrence after craniotomy. Survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The median age at diagnosis of brain metastases was 52 years, with median interval of 49 months following the diagnosis of tumor primary. Median survival from brain diagnosis reached 13.6 months. Overall median survival from radiosurgery treatment was 7.5 months. Fifteen patients with one or two brain lesions survived a median of 11.5 months. For the fractionated cohort of patients 1- and 2-year actuarial survival was 28.2% and 12.8%, respectively. Three patients are alive at 32, 34 and 64 months, respectively. We conclude that fractionated radiosurgery improves survival of patients with brain metastases from breast cancer, especially those with small lesions, good functional status and no other metastatic disease. These patients should be encouraged to consider radiosurgery, possibly before WBRT. Considering our 7.5 months overall survival including patients with multiple metastases, and patients with progressive brain metastases despite extensive standard therapy and often systemic disease, these results suggest that radiosurgery could benefit breast cancer patients with brain metastases and extend life.
PMID: 11261830 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Dose-response relationships for radiotherapy of brain metastases: role of intermediate-dose stereotactic radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiotherapy.
Nieder C, Nestle U, Walter K, Niewald M, Schnabel K.
Department of Radiotherapy, The Saarland University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
The effects of intermediate-dose radiotherapy consisting of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT, 10 fractions of 3 Gy) plus stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) were studied prospectively. Twenty-five adult patients with 31 brain metastases received WBRT plus linear accelerator (LINAC)-based single dose SRS with fixed treatment parameters (10 Gy at the isocenter, target volume enclosed by the 90% isodose). Median age was 63 years, median Karnofsky performance status 80%, and median diameter of brain metastases 2.4 cm. Fifteen patients had non-small-cell lung cancer. Because of some early deaths, only 26 lesions could be evaluated for response. We observed 1 complete and 15 partial remissions. Median time to progression inside or outside the SRS volume was 4.5 months. Actuarial local control of SRS-treated lesions was 61% at 1 year. At that time, only 37% of patients were free from new lesions outside the SRS volume. Median survival and cause-specific survival were 2.3 and 4.5 months, respectively (1-year survival rate 8% and 21%). Ten patients died of progressive brain metastases, 13 from extracranial disease progression (unknown cause of death in 2 cases). Comparable to SRS studies with higher doses, the majority of brain failures occurred outside the SRS volume and more patients died of extracranial progression than of uncontrolled brain metastases. Failure to improve survival can be explained by the high percentage of patients with extracranial metastases (52%). However, the present results appear less favorable than those of previous studies of SRS with 15 Gy to 16 Gy (1-year actuarial local control rates of 66-89%). Therefore, we recommend SRS with 15 Gy to 16 Gy for patients whose favorable prognostic factors justify a boost after WBRT.
Publication Types:
PMID: 11202802 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Brain metastases in patients with no known primary tumor.
Maesawa S, Kondziolka D, Thompson TP, Flickinger JC, Dade L.
Department of Neurological Surgery, Center for Image-Guided Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
BACKGROUND: The care of patients with a brain metastasis from unknown primary site is controversial. The authors reviewed the results of stereotactic radiosurgery in this group of patients to better define clinical expectations. METHODS: During an 11-year interval, radiosurgery was performed in 421 patients with brain metastases at the University of Pittsburgh. Fifteen patients had solitary or multiple (< or = 5) brain metastases without a detectable primary site at the time of initial presentation. In five patients, a histologic diagnosis of cancer was obtained from extracranial metastatic sites. In 10 patients, a diagnosis was obtained from the brain. A total of 31 tumors with a mean volume of 4.3 mL (range, 0. 05-18.6 mL) underwent radiosurgery with a mean marginal dose of 16.2 Gray (Gy) (range, 12-20 Gy). Fourteen patients (93.3%) also received whole brain fractionated radiation therapy. RESULTS: The median survival was 15 months after radiosurgery (range, 1-48 months) and 27 months after their initial diagnosis of cancer. In 4 patients (26. 7%), the primary tumor was discovered later (lung in 3 patients and liver in 1). Three of these four patients died due to progression of their primary tumor. Of the remaining 11 patients, 4 died of progression of extracranial metastases, 2 died of other systemic diseases, and 3 patients died because of progression of brain metastasis. Three patients (20%) were still living between 21-48 months after radiosurgery. The presence of active systemic disease and brain stem location both were associated with a poor outcome (P = 0.004 and 0.04). The actuarial imaging-defined local tumor control rate was 91.3 +/- 5.9% at 4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Radiosurgery was an effective strategy for patients with brain metastases from an unknown primary site. Disease progression outside of the brain was the usual cause for patient death.
PMID: 10964340 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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