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Published on: August 16, 2020
External Validation of an Extended Prognostic Assessment Model in Patients With Brain Metastases from Small-cell Lung
Carsten Nieder1,2, Ilinca Popp3, Anca-Ligia Grosu3,4
1Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine, Nordland Hospital Trust, Bodø, Norway.
Background/Aim:
Recently, the small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) grade model for patients with brain metastases was developed by a Japanese group. It includes sex, performance status, number of brain metastases, primary tumor control and presence of extracranial metastases. The aim of the present study was to validate this prognostic score in a European cohort of patients.
Patients And Methods:
The retrospective validation study included 189 patients from two centers in Germany and Norway. Survival according to the SCLC grade score was evaluated. Additional prognostic factors were analyzed.
Results:
Median survival was 7.5 months. The 3-tiered SCLC grade score based on the sum of adverse prognostic features was significantly associated with survival (p<0.001): A higher point sum resulted in shorter survival. However, in our validation cohort, age affected survival to the same degree as several parameters that were part of the score.
Conclusion:
This validation study supports the international applicability of the SCLC grade model. Age, which has also been identified as a relevant prognostic factor in other previous studies (including the SCLC Graded Prognostic Assessment), may deserve consideration when trying to optimize survival prediction. Given that different studies identified different age limits, e.g., 70 or 75 years, merged databases are needed to provide definitive conclusions.
