Multimodality treatment of non small cells lung cancer (NSCLC) brain metastases: Long term outcome
17046 Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths and has the highest incidence for brain metastases of all malignancies. The prognosis of these patients (pts) remain poor with a median survival of 4–5 months. Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in inoperable brain metastases prolongs survival to 3–5 months. In pts with 1 or ≤ 3 brain metastases neurosurgical resection improves median survival to 3.5–8 months. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients with brain metastases from NSCLC treated with multimodal strategy, including systemic chemotherapy, neurosurgery and radiotherapy. Methods: From 1997 to 2005, 56 pts were considered. Inclusion criteria were: single or multiple NSCLC brain metastases suitable of surgery; Karnofsky performance status ≥ 70%; controlled extracranial disease with Cisplatin-based chemotherapy; life expectancy > 4 months. Surgery was followed by 40 Gy WBRT. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox-regression analysis. Results: The median age was 58.4 years. The histological types were adenocarcinoma in 35 pts (62.5%), squamous cell carcinoma in 11 pts (19.7%) and large cell carcinoma in 10 pts (17.8%). The lesions were single in 39/56 pts (69.6%) and multiple in the other pts (30.4%). Radical surgery was performed in 37 pts (66%), while surgical citoreduction was possible in 19 pts (34%). The median follow-up period was 22.12 months (range 2–90 months). Overall survival (OS) of the whole group was 12.8 months; OS of pts radically resected was 16.5 months while OS of pts partially resected was 7.2 months. Based on Cox-regression analysis, age < 65 years and radical resection were independent predictors of survival (respectively p = 0.004–95% CI 1.46–7.6 and p = 0.04–95% CI 1.03–4.97), while the number of lesions was not relevant in terms of OS. Conclusions: Analysis of long-term outcome seems to confirm that the combined treatment of NSCLC brain metastases is a primary therapeutic option. In our series of 56 patients, radical surgery, not the number of metastases, was related with prolonged survival. Further randomized studies comparing surgery+WBRT vs gamma-knife-radiosurgery could define the best therapeutic option in the different subsets of pts. No significant financial relationships to disclose.