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Role of Pre-Operative Brain Imaging in Patients with NSCLC Stage I: A Retrospective, Multicenter Analysis
Luis Filipe Azenha1, Pietro Bertoglio2, Peter Kestenholz1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, 6000 Lucerne, Switzerland.
Cancers
|May 28, 2022
Summary
Brain metastases are rare in early-stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), occurring in only 1.4% of patients. Adenocarcinoma histology was the only identified risk factor, suggesting routine preoperative brain imaging may not be necessary for these patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death globally.
- Brain metastases account for a significant proportion of lung cancer complications.
- Early detection of asymptomatic brain metastases is crucial for prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of brain metastases in early-stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
- To identify potential risk factors associated with brain metastases in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective multicentric analysis of Stage I NSCLC patients.
- Inclusion criteria: preoperative cerebral imaging (CT or MRI).
- Exclusion criteria: history of NSCLC, synchronous malignancy, or neurological symptoms.
Main Results:
- 577 patients were analyzed; 8 (1.4%) had brain metastases.
- All cases with brain metastases were adenocarcinoma histology.
- No other factors (gender, age, smoking history, tumor size) were statistically significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of brain metastases in clinical Stage I NSCLC is low (1.4%).
- Adenocarcinoma histology is associated with brain metastases in this cohort.
- Routine preoperative brain imaging may be avoidable in Stage I NSCLC patients.
