Radiotherapy of Brain Metastases from Lung Cancer.
- Author:
Eun Ji CHUNG
1
;
Sun Min LEE
;
Chong Ju KIM
;
Yong Tai KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Radiation Oncology, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea. ejchung@nhimc.or.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Brain metastases;
Lung cancer;
Radiotherapy
- MeSH:
Adult;
Brain Neoplasms;
Brain*;
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung;
Diagnosis;
Female;
Headache;
Humans;
Lung Neoplasms*;
Lung*;
Male;
Neoplasm Metastasis*;
Neurologic Manifestations;
Palliative Care;
Radiotherapy*;
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma;
Treatment Outcome
- From:Journal of Lung Cancer
2005;4(1):34-37
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE : Brain metastasis is estimated to occur in 10~45% of solid cancer patients, and is the most common intracranial tumor in adults. Several neurologic symptom palliations are made with steroid therapy and whole brain irradiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS : We evaluated respectively the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome for 44 patients with metastatic brain tumor from lung cancer during the period from April 2000 to December 2003. RESULTS : Median age of the patients was 61 years. The male : female ratio was 2.7 : 1. Synchronous and metachronous brain metastasis was seen in 18 (40.9%) and 26 patients (59.1%), respectively and median duration between the diagnosis of lung cancer and brain metastases was 6 months (range 1~18 months) in metachronous cases. Pathologic types of lung cancer were as follows : small cell lung cancer in 11 patients and non-small cell lung cancer in 33 patients (squamous cell carcinoma-13, adenocarcinoma-11, large cell carcinoma- 3, others-6). The most common symptom of brain metastasis was headache, which was in 27 patients (61.4%). Seven patients (15.9%) had a single brain metastasis while 37 patients (84.1%) had multiple brain metastases. The total radiation dose to whole brain ranged from 30 to 40 Gy (median 30 Gy). In 29 patients (65.9%) neurological symptoms were resolved after whole brain irradiation. Median survival was 18 weeks for patients with steroid therapy and whole brain radiotherapy. CONCLUSION : In present study, we confirmed that whole brain irradiation is an effective palliative treatment for patients with metastatic brain tumors from lung cancer
