The Journal of the Korean Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology  2009;27(3):163-168

doi:10.3857/jkstro.2009.27.3.163

Comparison of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Whole Brain Radiotherapy in Patients with Four or More Brain Metastases.

Cheoljin KIM 1 ; Miyoung BAEK ; Sungkwang PARK ; Kijung AHN ; Heunglae CHO

Affiliations

+expand

Keywords

Multiple brain metastases; Stereotactic radiosurgery; Whole brain radiotherapy

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was a retrospective evaluation of the efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in patients with >4 metastases to the brain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2004 and December 2006, 68 patients with > or = 4 multiple brain metastases were included and reviewed retrospectively. Twenty-nine patients received SRS and 39 patients received whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Patients with small cell lung cancers and melanomas were excluded. The primary lesions were non-small cell lung cancer (69.0%) and breast cancer (13.8%) in the SRS group and non-small cell lung cancer (64.1%), breast cancer (15.4%), colorectal cancer (12.8%), esophageal cancer (5.1%) in the WBRT group. SRS involved gamma-knife radiosurgery and delivered 10~20 Gy (median, 16 Gy) in a single fraction with a 50% marginal dose. WBRT was delivered daily in 3 Gy fractions, for a total of 30 Gy. After completion of treatment, a follow-up brain MRI or a contrast-enhanced brain CT was reviewed. The overall survival and intracranial progression-free survival were compared in each group. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 5 months (range, 2~19 months) in the SRS group and 6 months (range, 4~23 months) in the WBRT group. The mean number of metastatic lesions in the SRS and WBRT groups was 6 and 5, respectively. The intracranial progression-free survival and overall survival in the SRS group was 5.1 and 5.6 months, respectively, in comparison to 6.1 and 7.2 months, respectively, in the WBRT group. CONCLUSION: SRS was less effective than WBRT in the treatment of patients with >4 metastases to the brain.