Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) of prognostic factors in three Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) brain metastases trials

Deterioration of Performance Status during Palliative Radiotherapy Suggests a Significant Short Survival Duration: Indicating the Necessities for Considering Radiotherapy Discontinuation

Discontinuation of palliative radiotherapy due to a patient's declining general condition poses a clinical dilemma for palliative care physicians. This study aimed to investigate the survival duration of patients whose performance status (PS) deteriorated during palliative radiotherapy and inform decisions regarding early treatment discontinuation. We retrospectively analyzed data from patients referred from our institute's palliative care department who underwent ≥10 fractions of palliative radiotherapy between March 2017 and December 2021. PS was assessed using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale. Survival duration was calculated from the final day of palliative radiotherapy to death using the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 35 patients underwent palliative radiotherapy. Seven (20%) experienced deterioration in ECOG PS during treatment. Their median survival duration was significantly shorter at 22 days (95% confidence interval: 1-94 days) compared to 125 days (95% confidence interval: 82-150 days) for the 28 patients whose PS remained stable (p = 0.0007). Deterioration in ECOG PS during palliative radiotherapy signifies a markedly shorter survival duration. Careful assessment of a patient's condition throughout treatment is crucial, and early discontinuation should be considered if their general health worsens rather than strictly adhering to the initial schedule.

Prognosis versus Actual Outcomes in Stereotactic Radiosurgery of Brain Metastases: Reliability of Common Prognostic Parameters and Indices

This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcome of stereotactic radiosurgery as the sole treatment for brain metastases and to assess prognostic factors influencing survival. A total of 108 consecutive patients with 213 metastases were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment was determined with close-meshed MRI follow-up. Various prognostic factors were assessed, and several prognostic indices were compared regarding their reliability to estimate overall survival. Median overall survival was 15 months; one-year overall survival was 50.5%. Both one- and two-year local controls were 90.9%. The rate of new metastases after SRS was 49.1%. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors revealed that the presence of extracranial metastases, male sex, lower KPI, and progressive extracranial disease were significant risk factors for decreased survival. Of all evaluated prognostic indices, the Basic Score for Brain Metastases (BSBMs) showed the best correlation with overall survival. A substantial survival advantage was found for female patients after SRS when compared to male patients (18 versus 9 months, p = 0.003). SRS of brain metastasis is a safe and effective treatment option when frequent monitoring for new metastases with MRI is performed. Common prognostic scores lack reliable estimation of survival times. Female sex should be considered as an additional independent positive prognostic factor influencing survival.

Temporal Considerations in Brain Metastases Radiation Therapy: The Intersection of Chronobiology and Patient Profiles

The circadian system, a vital temporal regulator influencing physiological processes, has implications for cancer development and treatment response. Our study assessed circadian timing's impact on whole-brain radiotherapy outcomes in brain metastases for personalized cancer therapy insights. The aim of the study was to evaluate circadian influence on radiation treatment timing and its correlation with clinical outcomes and to identify patient populations benefiting from interventions synchronizing circadian rhythms, considering subgroup differences and potential disparities. An IRB-approved retrospective analysis of 237 patients undergoing whole-brain radiotherapy for brain metastases (2017-2021), receiving over 80% of treatments in the morning or afternoon, was performed. Survival analyses utilized Kaplan-Meier curves. This was a single-institution study involving patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy. Demographic, disease, and socioeconomic parameters from electronic medical records were collected. Morning treatment (n = 158) showed a trend toward improved overall survival vs. afternoon (n = 79); the median survival was 158 vs. 79 days (p = 0.20, HR = 0.84, CI95% 0.84-0.91). Subgroup benefits for morning treatment in females (p = 0.04) and trends in controlled primary disease (p = 0.11) and breast cancer metastases (p = 0.08) were observed. Black patients exhibited diminished circadian influence. The present study emphasized chronobiological factors' relevance in brain metastases radiation therapy. Morning treatment correlated with improved survival, particularly in specific subgroups. Potential circadian influence disparities were identified, laying a foundation for personalized cancer therapy and interventions synchronizing circadian rhythms for enhanced treatment efficacy.

Analysis of prognostic factors and the role of epilepsy in neurosurgical patients with brain metastases

Background

Brain metastases (BMs) represent the most frequent brain tumors in adults. The identification of key prognostic factors is essential for choosing the therapeutic strategy tailored to each patient. Epilepsy can precede several months of other clinical presentations of BMs. This work aimed to study the impact of epilepsy and other prognostic factors on BMs patients' survival.

Methods

This retrospective study included 51 patients diagnosed with BMs and who underwent neurosurgery between 2010 and 2021. The impact of BM features and patient's clinical characteristics on the overall survival (OS) was analyzed through uni- and multivariate analysis.

Results

The average OS was 25.98 months and differed according to the histology of the primary tumor. The primary tumor localization and the presence of extracranial metastases had a statistically significant impact on the OS, and patients with single BM showed a superior OS to those with multifocal lesions. The localization of BMs in the temporal lobe correlated with the highest OS. The OS was significantly higher in patients who presented seizures in their clinical onset and in those who had better post-surgical Karnofsky performance status, no post-surgical complications, and who underwent post-surgical treatment.

Conclusion

Our study has highlighted prognostically favorable patient and tumor factors. Among those, a clinical onset with epileptic seizures can help identify brain metastasis hitherto silent. This could lead to immediate diagnostic-therapeutic interventions with more aggressive therapies after appropriate multidisciplinary evaluation.

Clinical Results and Hematologic Predictors of Linear Accelerator-Based Stereotactic Radiosurgery or Fractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Brain Metastasis in Patients Aged 75 Years or Older: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate prognostic factors including pre-radiosurgical blood count in elderly patients (EPs) with brain metastasis (BM) who were treated using linear accelerator (LINAC)-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) with a micro-multileaf collimator.

METHODS

Between January 2011 and November 2021, 101 consecutive EPs with BM were treated by LINAC-based SRS or fSRT using LINAC with a micro-multileaf collimator. EPs were defined as patients aged ≥75 years.

RESULTS

The tumors originated from the lungs (n = 90; 89.1%), colon (n = 2; 2.0%), and others (n = 9; 8.8%) in these EPs. The median pretreatment Karnofsky Performance Status was 80 (range, 40-100). The median follow-up time was 10 months (range, 0-76), as was the median survival. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year survival in the EP group was 58.3%, 43.2%, and 28.5%, respectively. Freedom from local failure at 6 months and 1 and 2 years was 97%, 95%, and 91.5%, respectively. Freedom from distant failure at 6 months and 1 and 2 years in EPs was 70.6%, 59.4%, and 54.2%, respectively. A high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio >5.33 was an unfavorable predictor of prognosis for EPs with BMs treated with SRS and fSRT (P < 0.001). In the EPs, the prognostic factors associated with prolonged survival in the Cox proportional hazards model were being female and a good pretreatment Karnofsky Performance Status.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of our study highlight the efficacy of LINAC-based SRS and fSRT with a micro-multileaf collimator in the treatment of EPs with BMs. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio can be an important factor in treatment decisions for EPs with BMs.

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and brain metastases in gastroesophageal carcinoma: a real-world analysis of clinical and pathologic characteristics and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Brain metastasis (BrM) and Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis (LMC) are uncommon complications in gastroesophageal carcinoma (GEC) patients. These patients have a poor prognosis and are challenging to treat. We described the clinicopathologic features and outcomes in the largest cohort of Central Nervous System (CNS) metastasis in GEC patients.

METHODS

single-center retrospective study of GEC treated from 2007 to 2021. Clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment modalities were reviewed. Survival was calculated from the date of CNS diagnosis until date of death/last follow-up using the Kaplan-Meier method. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used.

RESULTS

Of 3283 GEC patients, 100 (3.04%) were diagnosed with BrM and 20 with LMC (0.61%). Patients with known human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status (N = 48), 60% were HER2 positive (defined as IHC 3 + or IHC 2+/FISH+). Among LMC patients most were signet-ring subtype (85%), and only 15% (2/13) were HER2 positive. Median survival was 0.7; 3.8; and 7.7 months in BrM patients treated with best supportive care, radiation, and surgery, respectively (p < 0.001). In LMC, median survival was 0.7 month in patients who had best supportive care (7/19) and 2.8 months for those who had whole brain radiation therapy (p = 0.015). Multivariate analysis showed worse outcomes in ECOG ≥ 2 (p = 0.002), number of BrM ≥ 4 (p < 0.001) and number of metastatic sites (p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

HER2 expression were enriched in patients with BrM, while it is uncommon in LMC. Patients treated with surgery followed by radiation had an improved OS in BrM and WBRT benefited patients with LMC.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases arising from gynecological malignancies: A retrospective treatment outcome analysis

BACKGROUND

This retrospective study aims to assess the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of brain metastases (BM) originating from gynecological cancers. It focuses on local control (LC), distant tumor control (DTC), and overall survival (OS).

METHODS

The analysis comprised 18 individuals with gynecological-origin BM treated with SRS at the Hadassah Medical Center from 2004 to 2021. Statistical analyses evaluate factors impacting LC, DTC, and OS.

RESULTS

A total of 36 BM of gynecological origin underwent SRS. The median age at the first SRS treatment was 60 years, with a median time of 24.5 months from the primary malignancy diagnosis to BM detection. The 12-month LC rate per patient was 84.6 %, and 5.6 % per BM. Only two instances of local recurrence were observed. The DTC at 12 months was 75 %, with a 29 % overall. Non-significant trends indicating a correlation with distant brain failure with increased cumulative volume and the occurrence of craniotomy before SRS. The median OS of the cohort was 16.5 months from SRS treatment. The 6, 12, 18, and 24-month survival rates were 77.8 %, 66.7 %, 50 %, and 22.2 % respectively. Higher number of BM was associated with lower OS (p = 0.046). On multivariate analysis, age was a significant factor for OS (p = 0.03), demonstrating that older age was associated with a more favorable prognosis.

CONCLUSION

This study supports SRS effectiveness for treating BM from gynecological cancers and suggests similar outcomes to more common malignancies.

Outcomes of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases in the Motor Cortex

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To study the clinical, imaging, and survival outcomes in patients with motor cortex brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

METHODS

Imaging and clinical data were obtained from our prospective patient registry. Tumor volumes were obtained from serial imaging data.

RESULTS

The outcomes of 208 patients with metastases involving the motor cortex who underwent SRS between 2012 and 2021 were analyzed. A total of 279 metastases (0.01 cm 3 -12.18 cm 3 , mean 0.74 cm 3 ) were irradiated. The SRS margin dose varied from 10 to 20 Gy (mean 16.9 Gy). The overall tumor control rate was 97.8%. Perilesional edema was noted in 69 (25%) tumors at presentation. Adverse radiation effects (ARE) were noted in 6% of all tumors but were symptomatic in only 1.4%. Median time to appearance of symptomatic ARE was 8 months. Edema without ARE was observed in 13%. New focal seizures were noted in 5 patients (2%) and new generalized seizures in 1 patient (0.3%). Thirty-six patients (17%) presented with motor deficits. At final follow-up, 32 (85%) were improved or unchanged, 13 (41%) had a normal examination, 10 (31%) had mild deficits, and 9 (28%) still had moderate deficits. New remote brain metastases were found in 31% of patients at a median of 8 months. After treatment, the Karnofsky performance score distribution of the population showed an overall right shift and a median survival of 10 months. Patients with incidentally found brain metastases had significantly better survival than those presenting with deficits (median 13 vs 9 months) ( P = .048). Absence of a neurological deficit, recursive partitioning analysis Class I and II, and dose >18 Gy were each associated with a significant survival advantage.

CONCLUSION

SRS for motor cortex metastases is safe in most patients and effective in providing tumor control. Patients treated before neurological deficits develop show better outcomes.

Efficacy of hypofractionated Gamma Knife radiosurgery in treating surgical beds of metastatic brain tumors

OBJECTIVE

Surgery alone for metastatic brain tumors (METs) often results in local recurrence due to microscopic residual tumor tissue. While stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is commonly used post-surgery, hypofractionation may be required for large surgical beds. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of hypofractionated Gamma Knife radiosurgery (hf-GKRS) for the first time as a post-operative adjuvant therapy.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved 24 patients (28 surgical beds) who underwent hf-GKRS within four weeks after surgery. The study primarily focused on local control (LC) rate and analyzed distant intracranial failure (DICF), intracranial progression-free survival (PFS), leptomeningeal disease (LMD), overall survival (OS), and radiation necrosis (RN).

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 9 months, LC was achieved in 89.3 % of surgical beds. LC estimates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 96.4 %, 82.7 %, and 82.7 %, respectively. DICF was observed in 45.8 % of patients, and LMD was identified in two patients (8.3 %). At the end of the follow-up, 58.3 % of patients were alive, and the median OS was 20 months. RN occurred in only one surgical bed (3.6 %). No grade 5 toxicity was observed. The univariate analysis identified a longer interval to GKRS (HR 11.842, p = 0.042) and a larger treatment volume (HR 1.103, p = 0.037) as significant factors for local failure.

CONCLUSIONS

hf-GKRS shows potential as an effective and safe adjuvant treatment for surgical beds. It offers an alternative to SRS, SRT, or WBRT, particularly for larger volumes or tumors near critical structures. Further research is needed to confirm these results and optimize treatment approaches.

Can we predict overall survival using machine learning algorithms at 3-months for brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer after gamma knife radiosurgery?

Gamma knife radiosurgery (GRKS) is widely used for patients with brain metastases; however, predictions of overall survival (OS) within 3-months post-GKRS remain imprecise. Specifically, more than 10% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients died within 8 weeks of post-GKRS, indicating potential overtreatment. This study aims to predict OS within 3-months post-GKRS using machine learning algorithms, and to identify prognostic features in NSCLC patients. We selected 120 NSCLC patients who underwent GKRS at Chungbuk National University Hospital. They were randomly assigned to training group (n = 80) and testing group (n = 40) with 14 features considered. We used 3 machine learning (ML) algorithms (Decision tree, Random forest, and Boosted tree classifier) to predict OS within 3-months for NSCLC patients. And we extracted important features and permutation features. Data validation was verified by physician and medical physicist. The accuracy of the ML algorithms for predicting OS within 3-months was 77.5% for the decision tree, 72.5% for the random forest, and 70% for the boosted tree classifier. The important features commonly showed age, receiving chemotherapy, and pretreatment each algorithm. Additionally, the permutation features commonly showed tumor volume (>10 cc) and age as critical factors each algorithm. The decision tree algorithm exhibited the highest accuracy. Analysis of the decision tree visualized data revealed that patients aged (>71 years) with tumor volume (>10 cc) were increased risk of mortality within 3-months. The findings suggest that ML algorithms can effectively predict OS within 3-months and identify crucial features in NSCLC patients. For NSCLC patients with poor prognoses, old age, and large tumor volumes, GKRS may not be a desirable treatment.

Role of radiotherapy in the management of brain oligometastases

The management of patients with brain oligometastases is complex and relies on specific reasoning compared to extracranial oligometastases. The levels of evidence are still low because patients with brain oligometastases are frequently excluded from randomized clinical trials. Stereotactic radiotherapy should be preferred in this indication over whole brain irradiation, both for patients with metastases in place and for those who have undergone surgery. The decision of local treatment and its timing must be a multidisciplinary reflection taking into account the histological and molecular characteristics of the tumor as well as the intracranial efficacy of the prescribed systemic treatments. Great caution must be observed when using stereotactic radiotherapy and concomitant systemic treatments because interactions are still poorly documented. We present the recommendations of the French society of radiation oncology on the management of brain oligometastatic patients with radiotherapy.

Computational markers for personalized prediction of outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases

Intracranial progression after curative treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) occurs from 10 to 50% and is difficult to manage, given the heterogeneity of clinical presentations and the variability of treatments available. The objective of this study was to develop a mechanistic model of intracranial progression to predict survival following a first brain metastasis (BM) event occurring at a time [Formula: see text]. Data included early-stage NSCLC patients treated with a curative intent who had a BM as the first and single relapse site (N = 31). We propose a mechanistic mathematical model able to derive computational markers from primary tumor and BM data at [Formula: see text] and estimate the amount and sizes of (visible and invisible) BMs, as well as their future behavior. These two key computational markers are [Formula: see text], the proliferation rate of a single tumor cell; and [Formula: see text], the per day, per cell, probability to metastasize. The predictive value of these individual computational biomarkers was evaluated. The model was able to correctly describe the number and size of metastases at [Formula: see text] for 20 patients. Parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) (HR 1.65 (1.07-2.53) p = 0.0029 and HR 1.95 (1.31-2.91) p = 0.0109, respectively). Adding the computational markers to the clinical ones significantly improved the predictive value of OS (c-index increased from 0.585 (95% CI 0.569-0.602) to 0.713 (95% CI 0.700-0.726), p < 0.0001). We demonstrated that our model was applicable to brain oligoprogressive patients in NSCLC and that the resulting computational markers had predictive potential. This may help lung cancer physicians to guide and personalize the management of NSCLC patients with intracranial oligoprogression.

Glasgow prognostic score for assessing the efficacy of whole-brain radiation therapy in cases of recursive partitioning analysis class 2 and class 3 multiple brain metastases: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) may not be beneficial for patients with brain metastases (BMs). The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) is a suggested prognostic factor for malignancies. However, GPS has never been assessed in patients with BMs who have undergone WBRT. The purpose of this study was to determine whether GPS can be used to identify subgroups of patients with BMs who have a poor prognosis, such as recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) Class 2 and Class 3, and who will not receive clinical prognostic benefits from WBRT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 180 Japanese patients with BMs were treated with WBRT between May 2008 and October 2015. We examined GPS, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), RPA, graded prognostic assessment (GPA), number of lesions, tumor size, history of brain surgery, presence of clinical symptoms, and radiation doses.

RESULTS

The overall median survival time (MST) was 6.1 months. seventeen patients (9.4%) were alive more than 2 years after WBRT. In univariate analysis, KPS ≤ 70 (p = 0.0066), GPA class 0-2 (p = 0.0008), > 3 BMs (p = 0.012), > 4 BMs (p = 0.02), patients who received ≥ 3 Gy per fraction (p = 0.0068), GPS ≥ 1 (p = 0.0003), and GPS ≥ 2 (p = 0.0009) were found to significantly decrease the MST. Patients who had brain surgery before WBRT (p = 0.036) had a longer survival. On multivariate analysis, GPS ≥ 1 (p = 0.008) was found to significantly decrease MST.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that GPS ≥ 1 indicates a poor prognosis in patients undergoing WBRT for intermediate and poor prognosis BMs.

Enhancing outcomes: neurosurgical resection in brain metastasis patients with poor Karnofsky performance score - a comprehensive survival analysis

Background

A reduced Karnofsky performance score (KPS) often leads to the discontinuation of surgical and adjuvant therapy, owing to a lack of evidence of survival and quality of life benefits. This study aimed to examine the clinical and treatment outcomes of patients with KPS < 70 after neurosurgical resection and identify prognostic factors associated with better survival.

Methods

Patients with a preoperative KPS < 70 who underwent surgical resection for newly diagnosed brain metastases (BM) between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The KPS, age, sex, tumor localization, cumulative tumor volume, number of lesions, extent of resection, prognostic assessment scores, adjuvant radiotherapy and systemic therapy, and presence of disease progression were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with better survival. Survival > 3 months was considered favorable and ≤ 3 months as poor.

Results

A total of 140 patients were identified. Median overall survival was 5.6 months (range 0-58). There was no difference in the preoperative KPS between the groups of > 3 and ≤ 3 months (50; range, 20-60 vs. 50; range, 10-60, p = 0.077). There was a significant improvement in KPS after surgery in patients with a preoperative KPS of 20% (20 vs 40 ± 20, p = 0.048). In the other groups, no significant changes in KPS were observed. Adjuvant radiotherapy was associated with better survival (44 [84.6%] vs. 32 [36.4%]; hazard ratio [HR], 0.0363; confidence interval [CI], 0.197-0.670, p = 0.00199). Adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy resulted in prolonged survival (24 [46.2%] vs. 12 [13.6%]; HR 0.474, CI 0.263-0.854, p = 0.013]. Systemic disease progression was associated with poor survival (36 [50%] vs. 71 [80.7%]; HR 5.975, CI 2.610-13.677, p < 0.001].

Conclusion

Neurosurgical resection is an appropriate treatment modality for patients with low KPS. Surgery may improve functional status and facilitate further tumor-specific treatment. Combined treatment with adjuvant radiotherapy and systemic therapy was associated with improved survival in this cohort of patients. Systemic tumor progression has been identified as an independent factor for a poor prognosis. There is almost no information regarding surgical and adjuvant treatment in patients with low KPS. Our paper provides novel data on clinical outcome and survival analysis of patients with BM who underwent surgical treatment.

Navigating Post-Operative Outcomes: A Comprehensive Reframing of an Original Graded Prognostic Assessment in Patients with Brain Metastases

BACKGROUND

Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) has been proposed for various brain metastases (BMs) tailored to the primary histology and molecular profiles. However, it does not consider whether patients have been operated on or not and does not include surgical outcomes as prognostic factors. The residual tumor burden (RTB) is a strong predictor of overall survival. We validated the GPA score and introduced "volumetric GPA" in the largest cohort of operated patients and further explored the role of RTB as an additional prognostic factor.

METHODS

A total of 630 patients with BMs between 2007 and 2020 were included. The four GPA components were analyzed. The validity of the original score was assessed using Cox regression, and a modified index incorporating RTB was developed by comparing the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and AUC parameters.

RESULTS

GPA categories showed an association with survival: age (p < 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5-3.3), Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (p < 0.001, HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.5), number of BMs (p = 0.019, HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8), and the presence of extracranial manifestation (p < 0.001, HR 3, 95% CI 1.6-2.5). The median survival for GPA 0-1 was 4 months; for GPA 1.5-2, it was 12 months; for GPA 2.5-3, it was 21 months; and for GPA 3.5-4, it was 38 months (p < 0.001). RTB was identified as an independent prognostic factor. A cut-off of 2 cm3 was used for further analysis, which showed a median survival of 6 months (95% CI 4-8) vs. 13 months (95% CI 11-14, p < 0.001) for patients with RTB > 2 cm3 and <2 cm3, respectively. RTB was added as an additional component for a modified volumetric GPA score. The survival rates with the modified GPA score were: GPA 0-1: 4 months, GPA 1.5-2: 7 months, GPA 2.5-3: 18 months, and GPA 3.5-4: 34 months. Both scores showed good stratification, with the new score showed a trend towards better discrimination in patients with more favorable prognoses.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic value of the original GPA was confirmed in our cohort of patients who underwent surgery for BM. The RTB was identified as a parameter of high prognostic significance and was incorporated into an updated "volumetric GPA". This score provides a novel tool for prognosis and clinical decision making in patients undergoing surgery. This method may be useful for stratification and patient selection for further treatment and in future clinical trials.

The association between graded prognostic assessment and the prognosis of brain metastases after whole brain radiotherapy: a meta-analysis

Introduction

This meta-analysis aims to provide evidence-based medical evidence for formulating rational treatment strategies and evaluating the prognosis of brain metastasis (BM) patients by assessing the effectiveness of the graded prognostic assessment (GPA) model in predicting the survival prognosis of patients with BM after whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT).

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in multiple databases, including the China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, Wanfang database, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. Cohort studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and all statistical analyses were performed with R version 4.2.2. The effect size (ES) was measured by the hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival (OS). The OS rates at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of patients with BM were compared between those with GPAs of 1.5-2.5, 3.0, and 3.5-4.0 and those with GPAs of 0-1 after WBRT.

Results

A total of 1,797 participants who underwent WBRT were included in this study. The meta-analysis revealed a significant association between GPA and OS rates after WBRT: compared with BM patients with GPA of 0-1, 3-month OS rates after WBRT were significantly higher in BM patients with GPA of 1.5-2.5 (HR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.40-0.59), GPA of 3 (HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.25-0.57), and GPA of 3.5-4 (HR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.15-0.52); 6-month OS rates after WBRT were significantly higher in BM patients with GPA of 1.5-2.5 (HR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.41-0.56), GPA of 3 (HR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.24-0.45), and GPA of 3.5-4 (HR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.16-0.35); 12-month OS rates after WBRT were significantly higher in BM patients with GPA of 1.5-2.5 (HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.41-0.58), GPA of 3 (HR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.32-0.73), and GPA of 3.5-4 (HR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.12-0.79); and 24-month OS rates after WBRT were significantly higher in BM patients with GPA of 1.5-2.5 (HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.42-0.58), GPA of 3 (HR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.32-0.74), and GPA of 3.5-4 (HR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.15-0.94).

Conclusion

BM patients with higher GPAs generally exhibited better prognoses and survival outcomes after WBRT compared to those with lower GPAs.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023422914.

A brain metastasis liquid biopsy: Where are we now?

Brain metastases remain a challenging and feared complication for patients with cancer and research in this area has lagged behind research into metastases to other organs. Due to their location and the risks associated with neurosurgical biopsies, the biology underpinning brain metastases response to treatment and evolution over time remains poorly understood. Liquid biopsies are proposed to overcome many of the limitations present with tissue biopsies, providing a better representation of tumor heterogeneity, facilitating repeated sampling, and providing a noninvasive assessment of tumor biology. Several different liquid biopsy approaches have been investigated including circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, extracellular vesicles, and tumor-educated platelets; however, these have generally been less effective in assessing brain metastases compared to metastases to other organs requiring improved techniques to investigate these approaches, studies combining different liquid biopsy approaches and/or novel liquid biopsy approaches. Through this review, we highlight the current state of the art and define key unanswered questions related to brain metastases liquid biopsies.

Stereotactic radiosurgery of brain metastases: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an established standard for radiation therapy of brain metastases although recent developments indicate that multi-fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) results in lower radiation necrosis especially for larger metastases, and the same or even better local control in comparison to SRS.

METHODS

Seventy-two patients with 111 brain metastases received SRS with a single dose of 18 Gy between September 2014 and December 2021. The dose prescription was either 18 Gy given to the enclosing 80% isodose with a normalization to Dmax = 100% of 22.5 Gy (part I) or 18 Gy = D98, while D0.03 cc of 21.6-22.5 Gy was accepted (part II). The study retrospectively evaluated local progression-free survival (LPFS), response on the first follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and radiation necrosis.

RESULTS

Melanoma brain metastases (n = 44) were the most frequent metastases. The median gross tumor volume (GTV) was 0.30 cm³ (IQR, 0.17-0.61). The median follow-up time of all patients was 50.8 months (IQR, 30.4-64.6). Median LPFS was 23.5 months (95%CI 17.2, 29.8). The overall LPFS rates at 12-, 18-, 24- and 30 months were 65.3%, 56.3%, 46.5%, and 38.8%. Brain metastases with radioresistant histology (melanoma, renal cell cancer, and sarcoma) showed a 12-month LPFS of 60.2%, whereas brain metastases with other histology had a 12-month LPFS of 70.1%. The response of brain metastases on first follow-up MRIs performed after a median time of 47 days (IQR, 40-63) was crucial for long-term local control and survival. Eight brain metastases (7.2%) developed radiation necrosis after a median time of 18.4 months (IQR, 9.4-26.5). In multivariate analyses, a GTV > 0.3 cm³ negatively affected LPFS (HR 2.229, 95%CI 1.172, 4.239). Melanoma, renal cell cancers, and sarcoma had a lower chance of LPFS in comparison to other cancer types (HR 2.330, 95%CI 1.155, 4.699).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a reasonable 1-year local control of brain metastases with radiosensitive histology. Radioresistant metastases show a comparatively poor local control. Treatment refinements merit exploration to improve local control of brain metastases.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is retrospectively registered (ethics approval number 23-3451-104).

Concomitant radiosurgical and targeted oncological treatment improves the outcome of patients with brain metastases from gastrointestinal cancer

BACKGROUND

So far, only limited studies exist that evaluate patients with brain metastases (BM) from GI cancer and associated primary cancers who were treated by Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS) and concomitant immunotherapy (IT) or targeted therapy (TT).

METHODS

Survival after GKRS was compared to the general and specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) and Score Index for Radiosurgery (SIR). Further, the influence of age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Status Scale (KPS), extracranial metastases (ECM) status at BM diagnosis, number of BM, the Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) classes, GKRS1 treatment mode and concomitant treatment with IT or TT on the survival after GKRS was analyzed. Moreover, complication rates after concomitant GKRS and mainly TT treatment are reported.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed IT or TT at or after the first Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS1) treatment as the only significant predictor for overall survival after GKRS1, even after adjusting for sex, KPS group, age group, number of BM at GKRS1, RPA class, ECM status at BM diagnosis and GKRS treatment mode. Concomitant treatment with IT or TT did not increase the rate of adverse radiation effects. There was no significant difference in local BM progression after GKRS between patients who received IT or TT and patients without IT or TT.

CONCLUSION

Good local tumor control rates and low rates of side effects demonstrate the safety and efficacy of GKRS in patients with BM from GI cancers. The concomitant radiosurgical and targeted oncological treatment significantly improves the survival after GKRS without increasing the rate of adverse radiation effects. To provide local tumor control, radiosurgery remains of utmost importance in modern GI BM management.

Targeted Hyperbranched Nanoparticles for Delivery of Doxorubicin in Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis

Breast cancer brain metastases (BM) are associated with a dismal prognosis and very limited treatment options. Standard chemotherapy is challenging in BM patients because the high dosage required for an effective outcome causes unacceptable systemic toxicities, a consequence of poor brain penetration, and a short physiological half-life. Nanomedicines have the potential to circumvent off-target toxicities and factors limiting the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. The HER3 receptor is commonly expressed in breast cancer BM. Here, we investigate the use of hyperbranched polymers (HBP) functionalized with a HER3 bispecific-antibody fragment for cancer cell-specific targeting and pH-responsive release of doxorubicin (DOX) to selectively deliver and treat BM. We demonstrated that DOX-release from the HBP carrier was controlled, gradual, and greater in endosomal acidic conditions (pH 5.5) relative to physiologic pH (pH 7.4). We showed that the HER3-targeted HBP with DOX payload was HER3-specific and induced cytotoxicity in BT474 breast cancer cells (IC50: 17.6 μg/mL). Therapeutic testing in a BM mouse model showed that HER3-targeted HBP with DOX payload impacted tumor proliferation, reduced tumor size, and prolonged overall survival. HER3-targeted HBP level detected in ex vivo brain samples was 14-fold more than untargeted-HBP. The HBP treatments were well tolerated, with less cardiac and oocyte toxicity compared to free DOX. Taken together, our HER3-targeted HBP nanomedicine has the potential to deliver chemotherapy to BM while reducing chemotherapy-associated toxicities.

Validation of the ALK-Brain Prognostic Index for patients with ALK-rearranged lung cancer and brain metastases

BACKGROUND

Brain metastases (BMs) are a key challenge in the management of anaplastic lymphoma kinase-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (ALK+ NSCLC), but prognostic scores are complicated or rely on data before the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This study aimed to validate the novel ALK-Brain Prognostic Index (ALK-BPI), which was originally proposed based on 44 TKI-treated ALK+ NSCLC patients from Karolinska University Hospital, using an external clinical cohort.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

TKI-treated ALK+ NSCLC patients with BM from Heidelberg (n = 82, cohort 1) were retrospectively analyzed alone and together with the original Karolinska cohort (n = 126, cohort 2). Cox regression models were used to determine the association of clinical variables and scores with overall survival (OS) after BM diagnosis (BM-related OS).

RESULTS

Both cohorts showed a similar median age (58 years), roughly balanced sex distributions (52%-56% females), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 0-2 for most patients (87%-92%) at the time of BM development, which were present already at initial diagnosis in 36%-38% of the patients. Most patients had received next-generation ALK inhibitors (54%-63%), while 55%-56% of patients did not receive any radiotherapy. The ALK-BPI identified poor-risk patients (i.e. featuring ≥ 2/3 risk factors: PS > 2, male sex, development of BM after initial diagnosis) with a significantly shorter BM-related OS than other patients in both cohorts: 32/82 in cohort 1 with 21.3 versus 62.2 months in median [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.5, P < 0.001]; 59/126 in cohort 2 with 23.1 versus 67.2 months in median (HR = 2.6, P < 0.001). The five-parameter Lung-molGPA score did not achieve statistical significance and/or clear prognostic separation in all four groups, while the Disease-Specific Graded Prognostic Assessment score did not show consistent results.

CONCLUSIONS

The ALK-BPI is a reliable tool for easy prognostic dichotomization of TKI-treated ALK+ NSCLC patients with BM in daily clinical practice, without the complexity of previous models.

Development and adaptations of the Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) scale: a systematic review

The Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) score has the best accuracy among prognostic scales for patients with brain metastases (BM). A wide range of GPA-derived scales have been established to different types of primary tumor BM. However, there is a high variability between them, and their characteristics have not been described altogether yet. We aim to summarize the features of the existent GPA-derived scales and to compare their predictor factors and their uses in clinical setting. Medline was searched from inception until January 2023 to identify studies related to the development, update, or validation of GPA. The initial search yielded 1,083 results. 16 original studies and 16 validation studies were included, comprising a total of 33,348 patients. 13 different scales were assessed, including: GPA, Diagnosis-Specific GPA, Extracranial Score, Lung-molGPA, Updated Renal GPA, Updated Gastrointestinal GPA, Modified Breast GPA, Integrated Melanoma GPA, Melanoma Mol GPA, Sarcoma GPA, Hepatocellular Carcinoma GPA, Colorectal Cancer GPA, and Uterine Cancer GPA. The most prevalent prognostic predictors were age, Karnofsky Performance Status, number of BM, and presence or absence of extracranial metastases. Treatment modalities consisted of whole brain radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, surgery, cranial radiotherapy, gamma knife radiosurgery, and BRAF inhibitor therapy. Median survival rates with no treatment and with a specific treatment ranged from 6.1 weeks to 33 months and from 3.1 to 21 months, respectively. Original GPA and GPA-derived scales are valid prognostic tools, but with heterogeneous survival results when compared to each other. More studies are needed to improve scientific evidence of these scales.

Utility of a prognostic assessment tool to predict survival following surgery for brain metastases

Background

Brain metastases account for more than 50% of all intracranial tumors and are associated with poor outcomes. Treatment decisions in this highly heterogenous cohort remain controversial due to the myriad of treatment options available, and there is no clearly defined standard of care. The prognosis in brain metastasis patients varies widely with tumor type, extracranial disease burden and patient performance status. Decision-making regarding treatment is, therefore, tailored to each patient and their disease.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study assessing survival outcomes following surgery for brain metastases over a 50-month period (April 1, 2014-June 30, 2018). We compared predicted survival using the diagnosis-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (ds-GPA) with actual survival.

Results

A total of 186 patients were included in our cohort. Regression analysis demonstrated no significant correlation between actual and predicted outcome. The most common reason for exclusion was insufficient information being available to the neuro-oncology multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting to allow GPA calculation.

Conclusions

In this study, we demonstrate that "predicted survival" using the ds-GPA does not correlate with "actual survival" in our operated patient cohort. We also identify a shortcoming in the amount of information available at MDT in order to implement the GPA appropriately. Patient selection for aggressive therapies is crucial, and this study emphasizes the need for treatment decisions to be individualized based on patient and cancer clinical characteristics.

CyberKnife-based stereotactic radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in older patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

We analyzed clinical results of CyberKnife (CK)-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) in older patients (age ≥65 years) affected by brain metastases (BM) from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-three older patients with 92 BM were treated with CK-based SRS/FSRT at our institution between 2009 and 2019. The end-point was overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the prognostic factors influencing OS. The in-field local control (IFLC) within the SRS/FSRT field was also assessed.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 18 months, the median OS was 32 months. NSCLC-specific graded prognostic assessment (GPA) (p = 0.027) was an independent significant factor affecting OS in the multivariate analysis. The median IFLC period was 31 months, and the total BM volume (p = 0.025) appeared to be a significant feature of IFLC. No adverse events >grade 2 were reported after SRS/FSRT.

CONCLUSION

CK-based SRS/FSRT is a safe and efficient option for older patients with BM arising from NSCLC, showing good OS without severe side effects. GPA, which was consisted in age, performance status, extra-cerebral metastasis, and number of BM, seemed to be predictive factors for OS.

Gastric Cancer With Brain Metastasis: A Case Report

Although gastric cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, it rarely involves metastasis to the brain. Brain metastases can present with non-specific neurological symptoms such as focal neurological deficits, personality changes, or ataxia. Unfortunately, once brain metastasis is confirmed using imaging, the average life span is approximately two to four months. However, surgical and nonsurgical interventions have been able to improve quality and extend life to up to a year in patients living with gastric cancer that has metastasized to the brain. We report the diagnosis and surgical management of a 73-year-old female who presented with brain metastasis from gastric cancer. After a combination of radiation therapy, surgical management, and pharmacological intervention, the metastasis was successfully removed from the brain, as indicated by a negative CT and MRI on a four-year follow-up.

Evaluation of Potential Predictive Biomarkers for Defining Brain Radiotherapy Efficacy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases: A Case Report and a Narrative Review

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the second most common cancer worldwide, resulting in 1.8 million deaths per year. Most patients are diagnosed with a metastatic disease. Brain metastases are one of the most common metastatic sites and are associated with severe neurological symptoms, shorter survival, and the worst clinical outcomes. Brain radiotherapy and systemic oncological therapies are currently used for controlling both cancer progression and neurological symptoms. Brain radiotherapy includes stereotactic brain ablative radiotherapy (SBRT) or whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). SBRT is applied for single or multiple (up to ten) small (diameter less than 4 cm) lesions, whereas WBRT is usually applied for multiple (more than ten) and large (diameter greater than 4 cm) brain metastases. In both cases, radiotherapy application may be viewed as an overtreatment which causes severe toxicities without achieving a significant clinical benefit. Thus far, a number of scoring systems to define the potential clinical benefits derived from brain radiotherapy have been proposed. However, most are not well established in clinical practice. In this article, we present a clinical case of a patient with advanced NSCLC carrying a BRAFV600E mutation and brain metastases. We review the variables in addition to applicable scoring systems considered to have potential for predicting clinical outcomes and benefits of brain radiotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC and brain metastases. Lastly, we highlight the unmet need of specific scoring systems for advanced NSCLC patients with brain metastases carrying oncogene alterations including BRAFV600E mutations.

Tucatinib's journey from clinical development to clinical practice: New horizons for HER2-positive metastatic disease and promising prospects for brain metastatic spread

Approximately 20% of breast cancers (BCs) overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a transmembrane glycoprotein with tyrosine kinase activity, encoded by ERBB2 gene. Historically, HER2 overexpression has been linked with increased disease recurrence and a worse prognosis. However, the increasing availability of different anti-HER2 compounds and combinations is progressively improving HER2-positive BC outcome, thus requiring expertise to prioritize both overall survival (OS) prolongation and quality of life, without neglecting the accessibility to further treatment lines with a low attrition rate. In this context, tucatinib, an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has recently been granted approval by regulatory agencies based on evidence from the HER2CLIMB, a clinical trial which randomized patients with metastatic BC to receive trastuzumab and capecitabine with either tucatinib or placebo. A distinctive feature of this study was the inclusion of patients with new or active brain metastases (BMs) at study entry, a population traditionally excluded from clinical trials. Thus, HER2CLIMB provides the first solid evidence of an OS benefit in patients with BC and BMs, addressing a long standing unmet medical need, especially given the high incidence of central nervous system metastatic spread in patients with HER2-positive disease. This review provides an overview of the molecular and clinical landscape of tucatinib for the treatment of advanced BC. It focuses on the technological journey that drove the development of this therapeutic innovation, from preclinical data to clinical practice.

Prognostics of Systemic Malignancy ICD-O Topography and Morphology Types on Brain Metastases: An NCDB Time-to-event Cohort

BACKGROUND

The primary site and histology of systemic malignancy are known predictors of progression to brain metastases (BM). We investigated the combinational interactions of International Classification of Diseases for Oncology (ICD-O) primary topography and morphology types on the survival of BM after adjusting for relevant clinical and demographic prognostic factors.

METHODS

The cohort included all adult patients with BM at diagnosis of an invasive malignancy in the National Cancer Database (2010 to 2018). The sample consisted of 180,150 entries out of 14,279,749 cancer patients screened. A survival analysis of the topography-specific and histology-specific time to death was performed. Multivariate Cox regression revealed violations of the proportional hazard assumption for multiple covariates. Parametric models using a log-logistic distribution best described the population survival pattern.

RESULTS

The primary topography "prostate" and morphology "choriocarcinoma" provided the strongest survival benefit among ICD-O types, whereas BM from prostate demonstrated a 14-month median overall increase in survival probability. Favorable prognostics were BM from breast, bone/joints, and testis; also, the morphologies of carcinoid tumor, mature B-cell lymphoma, and papillary adenocarcinoma. Poor prognostics were BM from gastrointestinal (liver, biliary tree, pancreas, and gallbladder) and gynecologic malignancies. All morphologies of spindle cell carcinoma, hemangiosarcoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, Ewing sarcoma, pseudosarcomatous carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma/sarcomatoid, signet ring cell carcinoma, spindle cell sarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma/spindle cell were associated with poor survival.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest cohort providing an unbiased estimate of the adjusted ICD-O topography and morphology effect sizes. The results can be summarized as a booklet for prognostic classification of disease in patients with BM secondary to systemic malignancy.

Sustained Preservation of Cognition and Prevention of Patient-Reported Symptoms With Hippocampal Avoidance During Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases: Final Results of NRG Oncology CC001

PURPOSE

Initial report of NRG Oncology CC001, a phase 3 trial of whole-brain radiation therapy plus memantine (WBRT + memantine) with or without hippocampal avoidance (HA), demonstrated neuroprotective effects of HA with a median follow-up of fewer than 8 months. Herein, we report the final results with complete cognition, patient-reported outcomes, and longer-term follow-up exceeding 1 year.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Adult patients with brain metastases were randomized to HA-WBRT + memantine or WBRT + memantine. The primary endpoint was time to cognitive function failure, defined as decline using the reliable change index on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R), Controlled Oral Word Association, or the Trail Making Tests (TMT) A and B. Patient-reported symptom burden was assessed using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory with Brain Tumor Module and EQ-5D-5L.

RESULTS

Between July 2015 and March 2018, 518 patients were randomized. The median follow-up for living patients was 12.1 months. The addition of HA to WBRT + memantine prevented cognitive failure (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.74, P = .016) and was associated with less deterioration in TMT-B at 4 months (P = .012) and HVLT-R recognition at 4 (P = .055) and 6 months (P = .011). Longitudinal modeling of imputed data showed better preservation of all HVLT-R domains (P < .005). Patients who received HA-WBRT + Memantine reported less symptom burden at 6 (P < .001 using imputed data) and 12 months (P = .026 using complete-case data; P < .001 using imputed data), less symptom interference at 6 (P = .003 using complete-case data; P = .0016 using imputed data) and 12 months (P = .0027 using complete-case data; P = .0014 using imputed data), and fewer cognitive symptoms over time (P = .043 using imputed data). Treatment arms did not differ significantly in overall survival, intracranial progression-free survival, or toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

With median follow-up exceeding 1 year, HA during WBRT + memantine for brain metastases leads to sustained preservation of cognitive function and continued prevention of patient-reported neurologic symptoms, symptom interference, and cognitive symptoms with no difference in survival or toxicity.

Brain metastasis treatment guidelines: consensus by the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery Tumor Section

Brain metastases are tumors that arise from a tumor cell originated in another organ reaching the brain through the blood. In the brain this tumor cell is capable of growing and invading neighboring tissues, such as the meninges and bone. In most patients a known tumor is present when the brain lesion is diagnosed, although it is possible that the first diagnose is the brain tumor before there is evidence of cancer elsewhere in the body. For this reason, the neurosurgeon must know the management that has shown the greatest benefit for brain metastasis patients, so treatments can be streamlined and optimized. Specifically, in this document, the following topics will be developed: selection of the cancer patient candidate for surgical resection and the role of the neurosurgeon in the multidisciplinary team, the importance of immunohistological and molecular diagnosis, surgical techniques, radiotherapy techniques, treatment updates of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and management algorithms in brain metastases. With this consensus manuscript, the tumor group of the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (GT-SENEC) exposes the most relevant neurosurgical issues and the fundamental aspects to harmonize multidisciplinary treatment, especially with the medical specialties that are treating or will treat these patients.

Treatment of patients with multiple brain metastases by isolated radiosurgery: Toxicity and survival

BACKGROUND

Radiosurgery for multiple brain metastases has been more reported recently without using whole-brain radiotherapy. Nevertheless, the sparsity of the data still claims more information about toxicity and survival and their association with both dosimetric and geometric aspects of this treatment.

AIM

To assess the toxicity and survival outcome of radiosurgery in patients with multiple (four or more lesions) brain metastases.

METHODS

In a single institution, data were collected retrospectively from patients who underwent radiosurgery to treat brain metastases from diverse primary sites. Patients with 4-21 brain metastases were treated with a single fraction with a dose of 18 Gy or 20 Gy. The clinical variables collected were relevant to toxicity, survival, treatment response, planning, and dosimetric variables. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Log-rank test were used according to the type of variable and outcomes.

RESULTS

From August 2017 to February 2020, 55 patients were evaluated. Headache was the most common complaint (38.2%). The median overall survival (OS) for patients with karnofsky performance status (KPS) > 70 was 8.9 mo, and this was 3.6 mo for those with KPS ≤ 70 (P = 0.047). Patients with treated lesions had a median progression-free survival of 7.6 mo. There were no differences in OS (19.7 vs 9.5 mo) or progression-free survival (10.6 vs 6.3 mo) based on prior irradiation. There was no correlation found between reported toxicities and planning, dosimetric, and geometric variables, implying that no additional significant toxicity risks appear to be added to the treatment of multiple (four or more) lesions.

CONCLUSION

No associations were found between the evaluated toxicities and the planning dosimetric parameters, and no differences in survival rates were detected based on previous treatment status.

Perilesional edema diameter associated with brain metastases as a predictive factor of response to radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Different prognostic scales exist in patients with brain metastasis, particularly in lung cancer. The Graded Prognostic Assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung-molGPA index) for brain metastases is a powerful prognostic tool that effectively identifies patients at different risks. However, these scales do not include perilesional edema diameter (PED) associated with brain metastasis. Current evidence suggests that PED might compromise the delivery and efficacy of radiotherapy to treat BM. This study explored the association between radiotherapy efficacy, PED extent, and gross tumor diameter (GTD).

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intracranial response (iORR), intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS), and overall survival (OS) according to the extent of PED and GT.

Methods

Out of 114 patients with BM at baseline or throughout the disease, 65 were eligible for the response assessment. The GTD and PED sum were measured at BM diagnosis and after radiotherapy treatment. According to a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, cutoff values were set at 27 mm and 17 mm for PED and GT, respectively.

Results

Minor PED was independently associated with a better iORR [78.8% vs. 50%, OR 3.71 (95% CI 1.26-10.99); p = 0.018] to brain radiotherapy. Median iPFS was significantly shorter in patients with major PED [6.9 vs. 11.8 months, HR 2.9 (95% CI 1.7-4.4); p < 0.001] independently of other prognostic variables like the Lung-molGPA and GTD. A major PED also negatively impacted the median OS [18.4 vs. 7.9 months, HR 2.1 (95% CI 1.4-3.3); p = 0.001].

Conclusion

Higher PED was associated with an increased risk of intracranial progression and a lesser probability of responding to brain radiotherapy in patients with metastatic lung cancer. We encourage prospective studies to confirm our findings.

Frailty indices in patients undergoing surgical resection of brain metastases: a systematic review

Brain metastases are a relatively common occurrence in patients with primary malignancies, with an incidence ranging from 9 to 17%. Their prevalence has increased due to treatment advancements that have led to improved survival in cancer patients. Frailty has demonstrated the ability to outperform greater patient age in surgical decision-making by predicting postoperative adverse events that include mortality, extended length of hospital stay, non-routine discharge disposition, and postoperative complications. Although predictive models based on frailty have been increasingly utilized in literature, their generalizability remains questionable due to inadequacies in model development and validation. Our systematic review describes development and validation cohorts of frailty indices used in patients undergoing surgical resection of brain metastases and serves as a guide to their incorporation in the outpatient clinical setting. A systematic review of literature was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar. Articles that reported outcomes using frailty indices in patients undergoing surgical resection of brain metastases were included. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess for risk of bias across individual studies. Studies with NOS > 5 were considered high quality. We identified 238 articles through our search strategy. After a title and abstract screen, followed by a full text review, 9 articles met criteria for inclusion. The 5- and 11-factor modified frailty indices were most frequently utilized (n = 4). Five studies utilized single-hospital databases, and four utilized nationwide databases. Six studies were considered high-quality based on the NOS. Although frailty indices have demonstrated the ability to predict outcomes in patients undergoing surgical resection of brain metastases, further validation of these indices is necessary prior to their incorporation in clinical practice.

Diabetes Mellitus Is a Strong Independent Negative Prognostic Factor in Patients with Brain Metastases Treated with Radiotherapy

BACKGROUND

Brain metastases (BM) cause relevant morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The presence of cerebrovascular diseases can alter the tumor microenvironment, cellular proliferation and treatment resistance. However, it is largely unknown if the presence of distinct cerebrovascular risk factors may alter the prognosis of patients with BM.

METHODS

Patients admitted for the radiotherapy of BM at a large tertiary cancer center were included. Patient and survival data, including cerebrovascular risk factors (diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, arterial hypertension, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, hypercholesterolemia and smoking) were recorded.

RESULTS

203 patients were included. Patients with DM (n = 39) had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) (HR 1.75 (1.20-2.56), p = 0.003, log-rank). Other vascular comorbidities were not associated with differences in OS. DM remained prognostically significant in the multivariate Cox regression including established prognostic factors (HR 1.92 (1.20-3.06), p = 0.006). Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed a prognostic role of DM in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, both in univariate (HR 1.68 (0.97-2.93), p = 0.066) and multivariate analysis (HR 2.73 (1.33-5.63), p = 0.006), and a trend in melanoma patients.

CONCLUSION

DM is associated with reduced survival in patients with BM. Further research is necessary to better understand the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications of this important interaction.

Survival and Radiation Dose Differences Between Single Versus Multi-Session Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Patients Treated for Multiple (≥10) Brain Metastases

OBJECTIVE

 To explore whether treatment with multiple Gamma Knife sessions (mGK) resulted in different survival outcomes or cumulative radiation doses compared to single session Gamma Knife (sGK) in patients who have been treated for ≥10 brain metastases (BMs).

METHODS

 Thirty-five patients with ≥10 BMs treated with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GK SRS) were identified and separated into sGK vs. mGK cohorts. Survival outcomes and dosimetry data were compared between the two groups. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classes were used to further stratify patients.

RESULTS

 mGK patients survived longer from the first GK treatment (p<0.009). By RPA class, patients with class 1 had a prolonged survival from BM diagnosis than those in classes 2 and 3 (p=0.004). However, survival was not significantly different between the classes from the first GK treatment (p=0.089). Stratified by mGK vs. sGK and RPA classes, sGK patients in RPA class 1 had the longest survival from BM diagnosis but the worst survival from GK treatment. mGK patients in any RPA class had the best survival from the first GK treatment. For patients with RPA class 2+3, mGK was associated with longer survival from both BM diagnosis and first treatment. Statistical but not clinical differences between the mGK vs. sGK groups were observed in the max dose to the targets and cochlea, and the V40Gy whole brain dose.

CONCLUSIONS

 mGK may be beneficial if GK is initiated early at first BM diagnosis vs. sGK initiated late. Future research is required to confirm these findings and explore additional areas of interest, such as quality-of-life and economic considerations.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Into Cancer Clinical Trials

The practice of oncology requires analyzing and synthesizing abundant data. From the patient's workup to determine eligibility to the therapies received to the post-treatment surveillance, practitioners must constantly juggle, evaluate, and weigh decision-making based on their best understanding of information at hand. These complex, multifactorial decisions have a tremendous opportunity to benefit from data-driven machine learning (ML) methods to drive opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI). Within the past 5 years, we have seen AI move from simply a promising opportunity to being used in prospective trials. Here, we review recent efforts of AI in clinical trials that have moved the needle towards improved prediction of actionable outcomes, such as predicting acute care visits, short term mortality, and pathologic extranodal extension. We then pause and reflect on how these AI models ask a different question than traditional statistics models that readers may be more familiar with; how then should readers conceptualize and interpret AI models that they are not as familiar with. We end with what we believe are promising future opportunities for AI in oncology, with an eye towards allowing the data to inform us through unsupervised learning and generative models, rather than asking AI to perform specific functions.

Prognostic analysis of stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases: a single-center retrospective study

OBJECTIVES

Brain metastasis (BM) is a common event during the development of many cancers, and is also one of the main causes of death of patients. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an effective treatment for BM. The prognostic effects of various clinical factors on local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) after SRS treatment are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively analyze the intracranial progression free survival (iPFS) and OS of patients receiving SRS treatment, and explore the relationship between various clinical characteristics and patient prognosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected the clinical information of patients who were diagnosed with BM and received SRS treatment in our center between 2018 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and KM analysis for iPFS and OS were conducted in R software to investigate the prognostic effects of clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

In total, 183 patients that received SRS in our center were enrolled in the cohort. The median iPFS for all patients was 8.87 months (95% CI 6.9-10.6), and the median OS was 16.5 months (95% CI 12.9-20.7). BM number >  = 5 (HR 1.965 [95% CI 1.381-2.796], p < 0.001, FDR-corrected p < 0.001) was found to be strong predictor for shorter iPFS and OS. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with cumulative intracranial tumor volume (CITV) >  = 2.14 cm3 and number >  = 5 had shortest iPFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P = 0.007), compared with other subgroups. For patients with more than 5 BMs, SRS plus whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) could achieve better local control, compared with SRS alone group (P = 0.0357). Peripheral blood inflammation indicators were associated with the prognosis of BM patients in univariate Cox analysis, but not in multivariate Cox analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

BM number is an independent prognostic factor for BM patients. The prognosis of patients in the subgroup with larger CITV and more BM is the worst. For patients with more than 5 BM, the combination of SRS and WBRT can improve the local control, but cannot prolong the OS.

Immune checkpoint inhibition and single fraction stereotactic radiosurgery in brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer: an international multicenter study of 395 patients

PURPOSE

Approximately 80% of brain metastases originate from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are frequently utilized in this setting. However, concerns remain regarding the risk of radiation necrosis (RN) when SRS and ICI are administered concurrently.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted through the International Radiosurgery Research Foundation. Logistic regression models and competing risks analyses were utilized to identify predictors of any grade RN and symptomatic RN (SRN).

RESULTS

The study included 395 patients with 2,540 brain metastases treated with single fraction SRS and ICI across 11 institutions in four countries with a median follow-up of 14.2 months. The median age was 67 years. The median margin SRS dose was 19 Gy; 36.5% of patients had a V12 Gy ≥ 10 cm3. On multivariable analysis, V12 Gy ≥ 10 cm3 was a significant predictor of developing any grade RN (OR: 2.18) and SRN (OR: 3.95). At 1-year, the cumulative incidence of any grade and SRN for all patients was 4.8% and 3.8%, respectively. For concurrent and non-concurrent groups, the cumulative incidence of any grade RN was 3.8% versus 5.3%, respectively (p = 0.35); and for SRN was 3.8% vs. 3.6%, respectively (p = 0.95).

CONCLUSION

The risk of any grade RN and symptomatic RN following single fraction SRS and ICI for NSCLC brain metastases increases as V12 Gy exceeds 10 cm3. Concurrent ICI and SRS do not appear to increase this risk. Radiosurgical planning techniques should aim to minimize V12 Gy.

Modern Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases from Lung Cancer: Current Trends and Future Perspectives Based on Integrated Translational Approaches

Brain metastases (BMs) represent the most frequent metastatic event in the course of lung cancer patients, occurring in approximately 50% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in up to 70% in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Thus far, many advances have been made in the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, allowing improvements in the prognosis of these patients. The modern approach relies on the integration of several factors, such as accurate histological and molecular profiling, comprehensive assessment of clinical parameters and precise definition of the extent of intracranial and extracranial disease involvement. The combination of these factors is pivotal to guide the multidisciplinary discussion and to offer the most appropriate treatment to these patients based on a personalized approach. Focal radiotherapy (RT), in all its modalities (radiosurgery (SRS), fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), adjuvant stereotactic radiotherapy (aSRT)), is the cornerstone of BM management, either alone or in combination with surgery and systemic therapies. We review the modern therapeutic strategies available to treat lung cancer patients with brain involvement. This includes an accurate review of the different technical solutions which can be exploited to provide a "state-of-art" focal RT and also a detailed description of the systemic agents available as effective alternatives to SRS/SRT when a targetable molecular driver is present. In addition to the validated treatment options, we also discuss the future perspective for focal RT, based on emerging clinical reports (e.g., SRS for patients with many BMs from NSCLC or SRS for BMs from SCLC), together with a presentation of innovative and promising findings in translational research and the combination of novel targeted agents with SRS/SRT.

Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases Near the End of Life: Characterizing Patients and Tumor Features

PURPOSE

Patients with brain metastases are often referred for brain radiotherapy (BrRT) when exclusive palliative management would be more appropriate. To assess the indication of BrRT during end-of-life (EOL) care and evaluate the characteristics of the patients who underwent the treatment.

METHODS

This retrospective study comprised patients from four independent oncology centers who had undergone BrRT for metastases. The variables included were Karnofsky performance status (KPS), primary tumor site, metastatic status, neurologic symptomatic status, the number and size of metastases, posterior fossa or meningeal involvement, type of BrRT, having undergone brain metastasectomy, and the availability of systemic therapies after BrRT. Patients were allocated into three subgroups with ≤30, 31-60, and 61-90 days of survival, and a control group of patients who survived >90 days.

RESULTS

A total of 546 patients were included in the study. A KPS of <70 (P = .021), the number of brain metastases (P = .001), the lack of brain metastasectomy (P = .006), and the lack of systemic therapies after BrRT (P = .047) were significantly associated with the EOL subgroups. Multivariate analysis showed that a KPS of <70 (P < .001), the lack of brain metastasectomy (P = .015), and the lack of systemic therapies after BrRT (P = .027) were significantly associated with worse survival. In all, 241 (44.1%) patients died within 90 days-120 (22.0%) within 30 days, 75 (13.7%) within 31-60 days, and 46 (8.4%) within 61-90 days of BrRT. Patients with colorectal cancer were significantly more likely to die within 90 days of BrRT than >90 days.

CONCLUSION

Considering patients' performance status and whether they are candidates for brain metastasectomy or systemic therapies after BrRT is critical to improving BrRT benefits in scenarios of EOL.

Retrospective Evaluation of Cases Undergoing Stereotaxic Brain Biopsy

Objective:  The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographic, radiological and histopathological findings, tumoral biomarkers, and survival rates of patients who underwent a stereotactic brain biopsy and those diagnosed with glioblastoma, metastasis, and lymphoma, and the changes in the diagnosis distribution over the years. Materials and Methods:  The patients who underwent stereotactic biopsy in our clinic between 2012 and 2020 were evaluated retrospectively. Metastasis, glioblastoma, and lymphoma cases were evaluated as three main groups and the others were excluded. P53 gene expression, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation, and Ki-67 values in glioblastoma cases and Bcl-2, Bcl-6 proteins, and Ki-67 values in lymphomas and their relationship with survival were evaluated. Results:  High p53 expression was observed in 27.5% cases diagnosed with glioblastoma. IDH mutation was negative in all glioblastoma cases. Presence of Bcl-2 and Bcl-6 proteins was not associated with survival in lymphomas. Survival rate was significantly higher in cases diagnosed with lymphoma (26.9%) compared to those diagnosed with glioblastoma. A statistically significant increase was determined in patients diagnosed with lymphoma considering the distribution of diseases and incidence and in the distribution of other diagnoses over the years ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion:  As per the distribution of the disease in recent times, it has been observed that there is an increase in lymphoma cases. Histopathology and biomarkers have great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebral lesions. We think that our findings will be supported by studies in which larger patient population and detailed biomarkers will be studied.

Prognostic value of cranial radiotherapy and optimal timing stratified by lung-molGPA for NSCLC patients with brain metastases

PURPOSE

The updated Graded Prognostic Assessment for Lung Cancer Using Molecular Markers (lung-molGPA) index provide more accurate survival prediction for patients diagnose with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases (BM). Given that the value of cranial radiotherapy (CRT) is still controversial for NSCLC patients with BM, this retrospective study aimed to evaluate the value of CRT and optimal timing in NSCLC patients with initial BM after stratified with lung-molGPA index.

METHODS

This study screened NSCLC patients with initial BM in our cancer center from February 2012 to July 2018. The prognosis value of CRT and optimal timing was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the patients were classified into lung-molGPA0-2 and lung-molGPA2.5-4 group. Upfront CRT was defined as received CRT within 3 months after initial diagnosis and without BM progression, other CRT was classified into deferred CRT.

RESULTS

Overall, 288 patients were enrolled in our study, 156 patients received CRT. The median follow-up time was 47 months. In the entire cohort, the median PFS and OS were 9.2 and 17.0 months, respectively. In the lung-molGPA2.5-4 group, CRT can bring significantly overall survival benefit for NSCLC patients with initial BM (HR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34-0.68, P < 0.0001), and the upfront CRT can further expand this survival benefits compared with deferred CRT (HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.27-0.89, P = 0.0026). But this phenomenon was not observed in lung-molGPA0-2 group patients.

CONCLUSION

Upfront CRT could bring significantly overall survival benefit for these patients with lung-molGPA2.5-4 but not for patients with lung-molGPA0-2.

Untoward global effects of current guideline formulation of stereotactic radiotherapy for symptomatic brain metastases by international medical societies

The quality of evidence leading to new oncological treatments suffers shortcomings, as has recently been addressed for drug approvals. In this 'Personal view', we evaluate the unintended effects of adopting stereotactic radiosurgery as the standard of care for patients with limited number of symptomatic brain metastases and favourable prognostic factors in international guidelines in view of the limitations in the evidence of efficacy and effectiveness, with special focus on countries with relatively limited resources.

A 3-month survival model after Gamma Knife surgery in patients with brain metastasis from lung cancer with Karnofsky performance status ≤ 70

Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) for brain metastasis (BM) has been generally advocated for patients with a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scale of ≥ 70. However, some patients with a poor KPS scale of < 70 are recoverable after GKS and show durable survival. A purpose of this study is to devise a 3-month survival prediction model to screen patients with BM with a KPS of ≤ 70 in whom GKS is needed. A retrospective analysis of 67 patients with a KPS scale of 60-70 undergoing GKS for BM of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 2016 to 2020 in our institute was performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate factors related to survival for more than 3 months after GKS. The probability (P) prediction model was designed by giving a weight corresponding to the odds ratio of the variables. The overall survival was 9.9 ± 12.7 months (range 0.2-53.2), with a 3-month survival rate of 59.7% (n = 40). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, extracranial disease (ECD) control (p = .033), focal neurological deficit (FND) (p = .014), and cumulative tumor volume (∑ TV) (p = .005) were associated with 3-month survival. The prediction model of 3-month survival (Harrell's C index = 0.767) was devised based on associated factors. In conclusion, GKS for BMs is recommended in selected patients, even if the KPS scale is ≤ 70.

How we treat octogenarians with brain metastases

Biologically younger, fully independent octogenarians are able to tolerate most oncological treatments. Increasing frailty results in decreasing eligibility for certain treatments, e.g., chemotherapy and surgery. Most brain metastases are not an isolated problem, but part of widespread cancer dissemination, often in combination with compromised performance status. Multidisciplinary assessment is key in this vulnerable patient population where age, frailty, comorbidity and even moderate additional deficits from brain metastases or their treatment may result in immobilization, hospitalization, need for nursing home care, termination of systemic anticancer treatment etc. Here, we provide examples of successful treatment (surgery, radiosurgery, systemic therapy) and best supportive care, and comment on the limitations of prognostic scores, which often were developed in all-comers rather than octogenarians. Despite selection bias in retrospective studies, survival after radiosurgery was more encouraging than after whole-brain radiotherapy. Prospective research with focus on octogenarians is warranted to optimize outcomes.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of 3 radiation treatment strategies for patients with multiple brain metastases

Background

Patients diagnosed with multiple brain metastases often survive for less than 2 years, and clinicians must carefully evaluate the impact of interventions on quality of life. Three types of radiation treatment are widely accepted for patients with multiple brain metastases: Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT), hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiation therapy (HA-WBRT), and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). WBRT, the standard option, is less costly than its newer alternatives but causes more severe adverse effects such as memory loss. To determine whether the cost-effectiveness ratio of HA-WBRT and SRS are superior to WBRT, we used published data to simulate cases of multiple brain metastases.

Methods

We designed a Markov model using data from previously published studies to simulate the disease course of patients with 5 to 15 brain metastases and determine the cost-effectiveness of HA-WBRT and SRS relative to WBRT. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated and compared against a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100 000 per quality-adjusted life year.

Results

SRS met the threshold for cost-effectiveness, with ICERs ranging $41 198-$54 852 for patients with 5 to 15 brain metastases; however, HA-WBRT was not cost-effective, with an ICER of $163 915 for all simulated patients. Model results were robust to sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions

We propose that SRS, but not HA-WBRT, should be offered to patients with multiple brain metastases as a treatment alternative to standard WBRT. Incorporating these findings into clinical practice will help promote patient-centered care and decrease national healthcare expenditures, thereby addressing issues around health equity and access to care.

Association of the classification of intraoperative adverse events (ClassIntra) with complications and neurological outcome after neurosurgical procedures: a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

To analyze the reliability of the classification of intraoperative adverse events (ClassIntra) to reflect intraoperative complications of neurosurgical procedures and the potential to predict the postoperative outcome including the neurological performance. The ClassIntra classification was recently introduced and found to be reliable for assessing intraoperative adverse events and predicting postoperative complications across different surgical disciplines. Nevertheless, its potential role for neurosurgical procedures remains elusive.

METHODS

This is a prospective, monocentric cohort study assessing the ClassIntra in 422 adult patients who underwent a neurosurgical procedure and were hospitalized between July 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021. The primary outcome was the occurrence of intraoperative complications graded according to ClassIntra and the association with postoperative outcome reflected by the Clavien-Dindo classification and comprehensive complication index (CCI). The ClassIntra is defined as intraoperative adverse events as any deviation from the ideal course on a grading scale from grade 0 (no deviation) to grade V (intraoperative death) and was set at sign-out in agreement between neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist. Secondary outcomes were the neurological outcome after surgery as defined by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), Neurologic Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (NANO) scale, National Institute Health of Strokes Scale (NIHSS), and Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS), and need for unscheduled brain scan.

RESULTS

Of 442 patients (mean [SD] age, 56.1 [16.2]; 235 [55.7%] women and 187 [44.3%] men) who underwent a neurosurgical procedure, 169 (40.0%) patients had an intraoperative adverse event (iAE) classified as ClassIntra I or higher. The NIHSS score at admission (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.03-1.63, female gender (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.84), extracranial procedures (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.08-0.61), and emergency cases (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.53-3.78) were independent risk factors for a more severe iAE. A ClassIntra ≥ II was associated with increased odds of postoperative complications classified as Clavien-Dindo (p < 0.01), neurological deterioration at discharge (p < 0.01), prolonged hospital (p < 0.01), and ICU stay (p < 0.01). For elective craniotomies, severity of ClassIntra was associated with the CCI (p < 0.01) and need for unscheduled CT or MRI scan (p < 0.01). The proportion of a ClassIntra ≥ II was significantly higher for emergent craniotomies (56.2%) and associated with in-hospital mortality, and an unfavorable neurological outcome (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Findings of this study suggest that the ClassIntra is sensitive for assessing intraoperative adverse events and sufficient to identify patients with a higher risk for developing postoperative complications after a neurosurgical procedure.

Mortality during or shortly after Curative-Intent Radio-(Chemo-)Therapy over the last decade at a large comprehensive cancer center

Background and Introduction

Definitive surgical, oncological and radio-oncological treatment may result in significant morbidity and acute mortality. Mortality during or shortly after treatment in patients undergoing curative radio-(chemo)-therapy has not been studied systematically. We reviewed all curative radio-(chemo-)therapies at a large comprehensive cancer center over the last decade.

Materials and Methods

The institutional record was screened for patients who received curative-intent radio-(chemo-)therapy and deceased during or within 30 days after radiotherapy. Curative therapy was defined as prescribed dosage of EQD2 ≥ 50 Gy for radiotherapy alone and EQD2 ≥ 40 Gy for radiochemotherapies. Data on demographics, disease and treatment were assembled and assessed.

Results

Of 15,255 radiotherapy courses delivered at our center, 8,515 (56%) were performed with curative-intent. During or within 30 days after radio-(chemo-)therapy, 78 patients died (0.9% of all curative-intent courses). Median age of the deceased patients was 70 (IQR, 62-78) years, and 36% (28/78) were female. Median pre-therapeutic ECOG-PS was 1 (IQR, 0-2) and Charlson-Comorbidity-Index was 3+ (IQR, 2-3+). The most common primary malignancies were head and neck cancer (33/78; 42%) and central nervous system tumors (13/78; 17%). Peritherapeutic mortality varied by primary tumor, with the highest prevalence observed in head and neck and gastrointestinal cancer patients with 2.9% (33/1,144) and 2.4% (8/332), respectively. Among patients with known cause of death (34/78; 44%), tumor progression (12/34; 35%) and pulmonary complications/causes (11/34; 35%) were most common. On multivariable regression analysis, a worse ECOG-PS was associated with a relatively earlier peri-radiotherapeutic death (p = 0.014).

Conclusion

Mortality during or within 30 days of curative-intent radio-(chemo-)therapy was low, yet highest for head and neck (2.9%) and gastrointestinal tumor (2.4%) patients. Reasons for these findings include rapid tumor progression in some cancers, good patient selection, with ECOG-PS being most useful and predictive for avoiding early mortality. Future research should help refine predictors for peri-RT mortality.

Pembrolizumab in brain metastases of diverse histologies: phase 2 trial results

Brain metastases (BMs) are an emerging challenge in oncology due to increasing incidence and limited treatments. Here, we present results of a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial evaluating intracranial efficacy of pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor, in 9 patients with untreated BMs (cohort A) and 48 patients with recurrent and progressive BMs (cohort B) across different histologies. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving intracranial benefit, defined by complete response, partial response or stable disease. The primary endpoint was met with an intracranial benefit rate of 42.1% (90% confidence interval (CI): 31-54%). The median overall survival, a secondary endpoint, was 8.0 months (90% CI: 5.5-8.7 months) across both cohorts, 6.5 months (90% CI: 4.5-18.7 months) for cohort A and 8.1 months (90% CI: 5.3-9.6 months) for cohort B. Seven patients (12.3%), encompassing breast, melanoma and sarcoma histologies, had overall survival greater than 2 years. Thirty patients (52%; 90% CI: 41-64%) had one or more grade-3 or higher adverse events that were at least possibly treatment related. Two patients had grade-4 adverse events (cerebral edema) that were deemed at least possibly treatment related. These results suggest that programmed cell death protein 1 blockade may benefit a select group of patients with BMs, and support further studies to identify biomarkers and mechanisms of resistance. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02886585.