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[Palliative irradiation combined with chemotherapy for lung cancer with brain metastasis]
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Objective:
To evaluate to effects and complications of palliative irradiation combined with chemotherapy for lung cancer with brain metastasis.
Methods:
Eighty-two non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastasis were treated, of whom 48 had extracranial metastasis simultaneously. All patients received chemotherapy (Teniposide and cis-platin) prior to and also after radiotherapy. The multiple-intracranial metastasis patients received whole brain radiation therapy to a dose of 33-39 Gy/11-13 fx. The others who had single intracranial lesion received whole brain irradiation of 30 Gy/10 fx and a boost of 15 Gy/5 fx.
Results:
The overall 1- and 2-year actuarial survival rates were 46.7% and 6.7%. For patients with brain metastasis and extracranial lesions, the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 32.4% and 4.4%. For patients with intracranial metastasis only, they were 61.2% and 8.8%, respectively (P = 0.003). The median survival of these two groups were 8 and 12 months. There was no significant correlation between the survivals rate and the histological type or the number of intracranial metastasis. No severe complications were observed during the treatment and follow-up.
Conclusion:
The regimen of combined chemotherapy with radiotherapy is effective for lung cancer with brain metastasis. The survival rate of patients with intracranial metastasis only is obviously higher than those with multiple extracranial lesions in addition to brain metastasis.