scholarly journals Long Survival in a Patient with Brain Metastases from Breast Cancer

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. CMO.S317
Author(s):  
G Sanna ◽  
G Petralia ◽  
M Cossu Rocca ◽  
C Marenghi ◽  
F Nolè

The incidence of brain metastases (BMs) is apparently rising in patients with advanced breast cancer, possibly due to better therapeutic approaches for control of metastatic growth in other organs. Occurrence of BMs severely affects quality of life and is associated with dire prognosis. In this short report we describe the clinical case of a 47 year old woman, with BMs from breast cancer diagnosed in May 2001. The patient was treated with whole brain irradiation and radiosurgery, with initial control of BMs. Due to previous radiotherapy fields and doses, further local treatments are not feasible anymore. Since September 2006, the patient has been receiving systemic therapy with Lapatinib at the dose of 1500 mg/die continuously, with a good control of cerebral, liver and nodal metastasis after one year of treatment (September 2007). Her quality of life is acceptable, her Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) is more than 70%, and she takes care of her family, and has not experienced neuro-cognitive dysfunction.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 871-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rupesh Kotecha ◽  
Nicholas Damico ◽  
Jacob A. Miller ◽  
John H. Suh ◽  
Erin S. Murphy ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Although patients with brain metastasis are treated with primary stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), the use of salvage therapies and their consequence remains understudied. OBJECTIVE: To study the intracranial recurrence patterns and salvage therapies for patients who underwent multiple SRS courses. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 59 patients with brain metastases who underwent ≥3 SRS courses for new lesions. Cox regression analyzed factors predictive for overall survival. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 52 years. Over time, patients underwent a median of 3 courses of SRS (range: 3-8) to a total of 765 different brain metastases. The 6-month risk of distant intracranial recurrence after the first SRS treatment was 64% (95% confidence interval: 52%-77%). Overall survival was 40% (95% confidence interval: 28%-53%) at 24 months. Only 24 patients (41%) had a decline in their Karnofsky Performance Status ≤70 at last office visit. Quality of life was preserved among 77% of patients at 12 months, with 45% experiencing clinically significant improvement during clinical follow-up. Radiation necrosis developed in 10 patients (17%). On multivariate analysis, gender (males, Hazard Ratio [HR]: 2.0, P < .05), Karnofsky Performance Status ≤80 (HR 3.2, P < .001), extracranial metastases (HR: 3.6, P < .001), and a distant intracranial recurrence ≤3 months from initial to repeat SRS (HR: 3.8, P < .001) were associated with a poorer survival. CONCLUSION: In selected patients, performing ≥3 SRS courses controls intracranial disease. Patients may need salvage SRS for distant intracranial relapse, but focal retreatments are associated with modest toxicity, do not appear to negatively affect a patient's performance status, and help preserve quality of life.









2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
E. C. Smyth ◽  
Y. Y. Janjigian ◽  
E. Robinson ◽  
E. C. Sheehy ◽  
I. Karpenko ◽  
...  

92 Background: Although DCF is a standard first line chemotherapy option for advanced GE adenocarcinoma, the regimen is associated with significant toxicity. Even so, time to detriment in quality of life (QoL) was significantly better with parent DCF than CF (Ajani, JCO 2007). Modified DCF (mDCF) has demonstrated less toxicity than parent DCF without compromising efficacy in two phase II studies (Shah, GI ASCO 2010; Kelsen, ASCO 2009). We report the quality of life (QoL) over time of patients receiving mDCF on these two clinical trials. Methods: Patients (pts) treated on two protocols utilizing the mDCF regimen, either alone or in combination with bevacizumab, were administered standard EORTC QoL questionnaires (QLC –C30 version 3), at baseline, 6 weeks, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months (m). Chemotherapy and QoL assessment continued until disease progression. Mean score change from baseline was assessed using Wilcoxon test. Results: 94 eligible pts have been enrolled on both studies; QoL questionnaires are available on 87 pts. 74% are male, median age 58 years (range 28-78), with baseline Karnofsky performance status of 80% (range 70-100). Patient compliance with QoL assessment was high at baseline but diminished with time; 89% of pts completed the questionnaire at baseline and 41% at 12m. There was no significant detriment in EORTC QOL scores (including global health, physical and social functioning and fatigue) during treatment with mDCF (Table). Conclusions: In patients with advanced GE cancer, we observed no detriment in QoL scores in patients receiving mDCF therapy. Specifically, physical and social functioning, fatigue, appetite, and global heath QoL scores were maintained at baseline levels during the first 6 months of therapy, and appear to improve in patients who remained on protocol therapy during the next 6 months of treatment. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.





2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. e2004567
Author(s):  
José Manuel Sánchez-Villalobos ◽  
Alfredo Serna-Berna ◽  
Juan Salinas-Ramos ◽  
Pedro Pablo Escolar-Pérez ◽  
Emma Martínez-Alonso ◽  
...  

Background: Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are two treatment modalities commonly utilized to treat brain metastases (BMs). Aim: The purpose of this study is to analyze retrospectively the local control and survival of patients with BMs of breast cancer (BC) treated via radiosurgery using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT-RS). Methods: 18 patients with 41 BMs of BC and treated by VMAT-RS were studied. They were classified according to the molecular subtype of BC and the modified breast graded prognostic assessment -GPA- index. Patients presented 1-4 BMs, which were treated with 5 non-coplanar VMAT arcs. The spatial distribution of BMs, the influence of receptor status on the location of the lesions and survival assessed via the Kaplan-Meier model were analyzed. Results: The median survival time (MST) was 19.7 months. Statistically significant differences were determined in the MST according to the Karnofsky performance status (p= 0.02) and the HER2 status (p= 0.004), being more prolonged in the HER2+ patients. Finally, our results showed that the cerebellum is the predominant site of breast cancer BMs, and also suggested that HER2+BMs had a predilection for some structures of the posterior circulation, such as the cerebellum, brainstem and occipital lobes (p= 0.048). Conclusions: The VMAT-RS is a technique with an overall survival compared to other radiosurgery techniques. The baseline situation at the time of treatment, the modified breast-GPA and the molecular subtypes are factors that significantly influence patient survival.



1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 974-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Brady ◽  
D F Cella ◽  
F Mo ◽  
A E Bonomi ◽  
D S Tulsky ◽  
...  

PURPOSE This is the first published report on the validation of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), a 44-item self-report instrument designed to measure multidimensional quality of life (QL) in patients with breast cancer. The FACT-B consists of the FACT-General (FACT-G) plus the Breast Cancer Subscale (BCS), which complements the general scale with items specific to QL in breast cancer. The FACT-B was developed with an emphasis on patients' values and brevity and is available in nine languages. METHODS AND RESULTS Two validation samples were used for this report. The first (n = 47) was tested twice over a 2-month period to assess sensitivity to change. Significant sensitivity to change in performance status rating (PSR) was demonstrated for the FACT-B total score, the Physical Well-Being (PWB) subscale, the Functional Well-Being (FWB) subscale, and the BCS. Sensitivity to change in QL as measured by the Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC) was documented in the FACT-B total score, PWB, FWB, and Emotional Well-Being (EWB). Additional validity and reliability data were obtained from a larger sample (n = 295). The alpha coefficient (internal consistency) for the FACT-B total score was high (alpha = .90), with subscale alpha coefficients ranging from .63 to .86. Evidence supported test-retest reliability, as well as convergent, divergent, and known groups validity. CONCLUSION The FACT-B is appropriate for use in oncology clinical trials, as well as in clinical practice. It demonstrates ease of administration, brevity, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change.



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