Neurological Death After Radiotherapy for Brain Metastases: Role of the LabBM Score

The aim of this study was to identify patients at high risk of death from neurological cause because these patients may be appropriate candidates for intense brain-directed treatment, in contrast to patients with uncontrollable extracranial disease, inevitably leading to death. In this context, the LabBM score (endpoint: overall survival; five blood test results; often abnormal in patients with widespread disease) may be a relevant tool.

This was a retrospective single-institution analysis of 101 patients, managed with upfront brain irradiation. Associations between neurological death and different baseline and treatment parameters were assessed.

A LabBM score of 0 (five normal blood test results) was present in 32% of patients. Neurological death was recorded in 27%. Seven parameters were associated with neurological death, including the LabBM score (univariate analyses). Three out of the seven were significantly associated with neurological death in the multi-nominal logistic regression analysis. The most important parameter was primary tumor type (colorectal or melanoma), with a hazard ratio of 14.3. Patients without liver metastases were also more likely to die from neurological causes. Finally, patients who did not receive additional systemic therapy were more likely to die from central nervous system progression. The median survival time was 3.9 months (entire cohort). When censoring patients who died from extracranial progression, the median time to neurological death was 17.4 months.

The LabBM score was not suitable for prediction of neurological death, in contrast to three other parameters. Interestingly, additional systemic therapy reduced the risk of neurological death, possibly because several new agents have known antitumor activity in the brain.