Temozolomide and/or Erlotinib in the Treatment of Lung Cancer Patients With Progressive Central Nervous System Metastases

Efficacy and safety of antitumor agents plus radiotherapy compared with radiotherapy alone for brain metastases from lung cancer

The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of different therapeutic regimens for brain metastases (BMs) from lung cancer (LC). A total of 13 controlled trials (1,783 cases) involving chemotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors or endostatin plus radiotherapy (combination group) vs. radiotherapy alone group were identified from PubMed. Compared with the radiotherapy alone group, the combination group resulted in a significant benefit for objective response rate (ORR) [risk ratio (RR), 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19–1.60; P<0.0001], notably prolonged the time to central nervous system progression [CNS-TTP; hazard ratio (HR), 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57–0.90; P=0.004] and progression-free survival (PFS; HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.44–0.83; P=0.002); however, failed in prolonging the overall survival (OS; HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.61–1.05; P=0.11) with a higher overall severe adverse events (AEs, Grade ≥3; RR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.24–5.35; P=0.01). Notably, subgroup analysis demonstrated that targeted therapy plus radiotherapy possessed a superior OS compared with radiotherapy alone (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.90; P=0.01) with mild non-hematological toxicity and without severe hematotoxicity. The present study demonstrated that targeted agents plus radiotherapy possessed desirable effects with mild adverse events. Secondary to best, chemoradiotherapy is an alternative option for patients without suitable molecular targets.

Therapeutical Attitude and Analysis of Results in Brain Metastases

Objectives - The aim of this study is to assess therapeutic outcomes in patients presenting with brain metastases as the first manifestation of malignancies either as a final stage in the evolution of malignancies. Materials and methods - We've performed a complex retrospective study on a total of 81 patients with brain metastases treated in Medical Oncology Clinic of the Emergency County Hospital Craiova between 1 January 2005-31 December 2010. Results - The average age of women (55 years) was statistically significantly low compared to men (64 years) (p = 0.000). The most affected age group was 51-60 years in women with maximum frequency of breast cancer and 61-70 years for men, with predominance of lung cancer. Most cases were presented with multiple metastases (90.12%) and the average latency-free interval from primary tumor detection to onset of symptoms was 29.8 months. Clinical manifestations, in most cases, occurred in less than 6 months after diagnosis of the primary tumor being a consequence of the evolution of disease at distance (36 patients / 62 patients in oncological evidence 58.06%) and 12 months after diagnosis survival rate was low being detected in patients with a controlled primary tumor and distant resumption of the disease (14 patients / 62 patients in oncological evidence-22.58%).Median survival in patients with irradiated brain metastases was 7 months. Multivariate statistical analysis of the survival rate has detected statistically significant differences depending on the type of the primary tumor (p = 0.000) and the manner of the onset of brain metastases as the first manifestation or evolution of neoplastic disease (p = 0.000).Survival was affected, without statistical significance threshold, by the number of metastases, patient gender and the loco-regional status of the primary tumor.

Oral Targeted Therapies and Central Nervous System (CNS) Metastases

The purpose of our review is to summarize the clinical activity of oral targeted agents against brain metastases. This includes BRAF inhibitors (dabrafenib and vemurafenib), human epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (lapatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib), multi-kinase angiogenesis inhibitors (sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, and vandetanib), and ALK/c-MET (crizotinib) and ALK/IGF-1 (ceritinib) inhibitors. Effective systemic therapies are needed for long-term benefit in brain metastases and documentation of intracranial activity for many therapies is poor. Our review provides a summary of the literature with pertinent data for clinicians. This is needed as subjects with brain metastases are often prevented from enrolling in clinical trials and investigations focused on systemic therapies for brain metastases are rare.

Brain metastases in non-small-cell lung cancer: better outcomes through current therapies and utilization of molecularly targeted approaches

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients experience a high incidence of brain metastases, de novo and recurrent. We review the mechanisms of brain metastases and promising NSCLC molecular markers to delineate potential future therapeutic targets. Discussed are the current and previously utilized roles of surgery, radiation (both therapeutic and prophylactic), and systemic therapies in the treatment of NSCLC brain metastases. Future directions for treatment of NSCLC brain metastases will conclude our review.