Radiation therapy for metastatic brain tumor from lung cancers

To evaluate the outcome of radiotherapy for treatment of metastatic brain tumors from lung cancers, we reviewed clinical records of 62 patients in which whole brain radiotherapy for the tumors was attempted during the period from 1984 to 1996. In 51 (group 1) of the 62 radiotherapy was completed as planned, with total dose ranging from 40 to 53 Gy (median, 50 Gy). In the other 11 (group 2) radiotherapy was abandoned for some reasons at a total dose ranging from 2 to 37 Gy (median, 13 Gy). Nine patients in group 1 (group 1a) received radiotherapy following surgical resection of the tumors. In the other 42 patients in group 1 (group 1b) and group 2 patients, radiotherapy was started without preperforming the surgical treatment. In group 1, the cumulative survival rate at 1 year was 31.3%, the median survival time was 7.3 months, and 6 patients (12%) showed tumor recurrence (n=2) and/or development of new metastases (n=5) at 2.6 to 15.2 months= (mean 10.4 months) after radiotherapy. The survival rate in group 1 were significantly higher than those in group 1b (p<0.05). Neurologic symptoms improved after radiotherapy in 32 (80%) of the 40 patients in group 1b who showed the symptoms before treatment. Radiotherapy is useful for relieved neurologic symptoms and obtaining longer survival in patients with metastatic brain tumors from lung cancers. Surgical resection followed by radiotherapy would be more effective than radiotherapy alone for obtaining longer survival. (author)