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Updated: Nov 20, 2025
Modeling Brain Metastases Through Intracranial Injection and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: June 7, 2020
Clinicopathologic and Treatment Features of Long-Term Surviving Brain Metastasis Patients
Archya Dasgupta1,2, Jayson Co1,2, Jeff Winter1,2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G2M9, Canada.
Background:
The purpose of our study was to characterize clinical features among brain metastasis (BM) patients who were long term survivors (LTS).
Methods:
We reviewed a registry of BM patients referred to our multidisciplinary BM clinic between 2006 and 2014 and identified 97 who lived ≥ 3 years following BM diagnosis. The clinical and treatment characteristics were obtained from a prospectively maintained database, and additional information was obtained through review of electronic medical records and radiologic images. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Results:
Median follow up for LTS was 67 months (range 36-181). Median age was 54 years, 65% had single BM, 39% had stable extracranial disease at the time of BM treatment, and brain was the first site of metastasis in 76%. Targetable mutations were present in 39% of patients and 66% received treatment with targeted-, hormonal-, or immuno-therapy. Brain surgery at the time of diagnosis was performed in 40% and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or whole brain radiotherapy (alone or combination) in 52% and 56%, respectively. Following initial BM treatment, 5-year intracranial disease-free survival was 39%, and the cumulative incidence of symptomatic radio-necrosis was 16%. Five and ten-year overall survival was 72% and 26%, respectively.
Conclusion:
Most LTS were younger than 60 years old and had a single BM. Many received treatment with surgery or targeted, immune, or hormonal therapy.
