Early identification of asymptomatic brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma

An Italian multicenter retrospective real-life analysis of patients with brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma: the BMRCC study

BACKGROUND

The treatment of patients with brain-spread renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an unmet clinical need, although more recent therapeutic strategies have significantly improved RCC patients' life expectancy. Our multicenter, retrospective, observational study investigated a real-world cohort of patients with brain metastases (BM) from RCC (BMRCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 226 patients with histological diagnosis of RCC and radiological evidence of BM from 22 Italian institutions were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate models were performed to investigate the impact of clinicopathological features and multimodal treatments on both overall survival (OS) from the BM diagnosis and intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS).

RESULTS

The median OS from the BM diagnosis was 18.8 months (interquartile range: 6.2-43 months). Multivariate analysis confirmed the following as positive independent prognostic factors: a Karnofsky Performance Status >70% [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26-0.92, P = 0.0026] and a single BM (HR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.31-0.86, P = 0. 0310); in contrast, the following were confirmed as worse prognosis factors: progressive extracranial disease (HR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.003-2.74, P = 0.00181) and only one line of systemic therapy after the BM occurrence (HR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.62-5.49, P = 0.029). Subgroup analyses showed no difference in iPFS according to the type of the first systemic treatment [immunotherapy (IT) or targeted therapy (TT)] carried out after the BM diagnosis (HR = 1.033, 95% CI 0.565-1.889, P = 0.16), and revealed that external radiation therapy (eRT) significantly prolonged iPFS when combined with IT (10.7 months, 95% CI 4.9-48 months, P = 0.0321) and not when combined with TT (9.01 months, 95% CI 2.7-21.2 months, P = 0.59).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a potential additive effect in terms of iPFS for eRT combined with IT and encourage a more intensive multimodal therapeutic strategy in a multidisciplinary context to improve the survival of BMRCC patients.

Evaluating the impact of early identification of asymptomatic brain metastases in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Brain metastases (BM) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have been reported to be present in up to 25% of patients diagnosed with mRCC. There is limited published literature evaluating the role of routine intra-cranial imaging for the screening of asymptomatic BM in mRCC.

AIMS

To evaluate the potential utility of routine intra-cranial imaging, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to characterize the outcomes of mRCC patients who presented with asymptomatic BM, as compared to symptomatic BM.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Canadian Kidney Cancer Information System (CKCis) database was used to identify mRCC patients diagnosed with BM. This cohort was divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of BM symptoms. Details regarding patient demographics, disease characteristics, systemic treatments, BM characteristics and survival outcomes were extracted. Statistical analysis was through chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and Kaplan-Meier method to characterize survival outcomes. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses. A total of 267 mRCC patients with BM were identified of which 106 (40%) presented with asymptomatic disease. The majority of patients presented with multiple (i.e., >1) BM (75%) with no significant differences noted in number of BM or BM-directed therapy received in symptomatic, as compared to asymptomatic BM patients. Median [95% confidence interval (CI)] overall survival (OS) from mRCC diagnosis was 42 months (95% CI: 32-62) for patients with asymptomatic BM, and 39 months (95% CI: 29-48) with symptomatic BM (p = 0.10). OS from time of BM diagnosis was 28 months (95% CI: 18-42) for the asymptomatic BM group, as compared to 13 months (95% CI: 10-21) in the symptomatic BM group (p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Given a substantial proportion of patients may present with asymptomatic BM, limiting intra-cranial imaging to patients with symptomatic BM, may be associated with a missed opportunity for timely diagnosis and treatment. The utility of routine intra-cranial imaging in patients with renal cell carcinoma, warrants further prospective evaluation.

Prognostic factors for overall survival and intracranial progression in patients with renal cancer metastasis into the brain after neurosurgical treatment

Introduction. Treatment of patients with brain metastases is an important problem that should be considered in the framework of combination approach. Introduction of new techniques of drug therapy as well as radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatment allows to significantly increase patient survival. Effective drug therapy and local control of brain metastases are of utmost importance in prediction of overall survival and patient quality of life.

Aim. To investigate the prognostic factors for overall survival and intracranial progression (local recurrences, distant metastases) in patients with brain metastases of renal cancer after neurosurgical resection.

Materials and methods. Retrospective analysis of the treatment results of 114 patients with metastatic brain lesions due to renal cancer who underwent neurosurgical resection (NSR) at the N. N. Blokhin National medical Research Center of Oncology was performed. Clinical data of 102 (89.5 %) of 114 patients for whom data on survival was available were evaluated. Among them, 80 (78.4 %) of patients died, 22 (21.5 %) are under observation. Extracranial disease status at the time of NSR was known in 82 (71.9 %) patients: 45 (54.8 %) patients had extracranial metastases, and 37 (45.1 %) did not. Total resection of brain metastases with perifocal and perivascular zones was performed in 92 (90.1 %) patients; in other cases, fragmental lesion resection was performed.

Results. median overall survival after NSR was 13.8 months (95 % confidence interval 10.3–18.6). per study data, factors affecting overall survival of patients with brain metastases of renal cancer after neurosurgical resection were presence /  absence of extracranial metastases and patient’s functional status. Local recurrences in the postoperative cavity after NSR were observed in 24 (21 %) of 114 patients. median time of local recurrence was not achieved. Statistically significant factor of high risk of recurrence in the postoperative cavity was presence of lesions with maximal diameter ≥2 cm. Development of new (distant) metastases was observed in 31 (27.2 %) of 114 patients. median survival without distant metastases in patients with brain metastases after NSR was not achieved. frequencies of distant metastases at 6, 12 and 24 months were 15.5; 24.1 and 35.8 % respectively. per multifactor analysis, factors affecting development of distant metastases in the brain after NSR are multiple metastatic brain lesions and presence of extracranial metastases.

Conclusion. Neurosurgical resection in patients with cerebral metastases of renal cancer in the total group leads to median overall survival of 13.8 months. predictors of better overall survival are absence of extracranial metastases and high functional status.

An interdisciplinary consensus on the management of brain metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Brain metastases are a challenging manifestation of renal cell carcinoma. We have a limited understanding of brain metastasis tumor and immune biology, drivers of resistance to systemic treatment, and their overall poor prognosis. Current data support a multimodal treatment strategy with radiation treatment and/or surgery. Nonetheless, the optimal approach for the management of brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma remains unclear. To improve patient care, the authors sought to standardize practical management strategies. They performed an unstructured literature review and elaborated on the current management strategies through an international group of experts from different disciplines assembled via the network of the International Kidney Cancer Coalition. Experts from different disciplines were administered a survey to answer questions related to current challenges and unmet patient needs. On the basis of the integrated approach of literature review and survey study results, the authors built algorithms for the management of single and multiple brain metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma. The literature review, consensus statements, and algorithms presented in this report can serve as a framework guiding treatment decisions for patients. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022;72:454-489.

A Machine Learning Approach to Predict the Probability of Brain Metastasis in Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients

Patients with brain metastasis (BM) have a better prognosis when it is detected early. However, current guidelines recommend brain imaging only when there are central nervous system symptoms or abnormal experimental values. Therefore, metastases are discovered later in asymptomatic patients. As a result, there is a need for an algorithm that predicts the possibility of BM using clinical data and machine learning (ML). Data from 3153 patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were collected from the 11-institution Korean Renal Cancer Study group (KRoCS) database. To predict BM, clinical information of 1282 patients was extracted from the database and used to compare the performance of six ML algorithms. The final model selection was based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. After optimizing the hyperparameters for each model, the adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) model outperformed the others, with an AUROC of 0.716. We developed an algorithm to predict the probability of BM in patients with RCC. Using the developed predictive model, it is possible to avoid detection delays by performing computed tomography scans on potentially asymptomatic patients.

Prognostic Factors and Current Treatment Strategies for Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastatic to the Brain: An Overview

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of primary cancers that frequently metastasize to the brain. Brain metastasis derived from RCC has the propensity of intratumoral hemorrhage and relatively massive surrounding edema. Moreover, it confers a grim prognosis in a great percentage of cases with a median overall survical (mOS) around 10 months. The well-recognized prognostic factors for brain metastatic renal cell carcinoma (BMRCC) are Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), the number of brain metastasis (BM), the presence of a sarcomatoid component and the presence of extracranial metastasis. Therapeutic strategies are multimodal and include surgical resection, radiotherapy, such as stereotactic radiosurgery due to the radioresistance of RCC and systemic strategies with tyrosin kinase inhibitors (TKI) or Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) whose efficacy is not well-established in this setting of patients due to their exclusion from most clinical trials. To date, in case of positive prognostic factors and after performing local radical therapies, such as complete resection of BM or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), the outcome of these patients significantly improves, up to 33 months in some patients. As a consequence, tailored clinical trials designed for BMRCC are needed to define the correct treatment strategy even in this poor prognostic subgroup of patients.

Prognosis of Incidental Brain Metastases in Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) management guidelines recommend brain imaging if clinically indicated and the rate of occult central nervous system (CNS) metastasis is not well-defined. Early detection could have major therapeutic implications, because timely interventions may limit morbidity and mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review was performed to characterize patients with mRCC incidentally diagnosed with asymptomatic brain metastases during screening for clinical trial participation at Gustave Roussy and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Descriptive statistics and time-to-event methods were used to evaluate the cohort.

RESULTS

Across 68 clinical trials conducted between 2001 and 2019 with a median 14.1-month follow-up, 72 of 1,689 patients (4.3%) with mRCC harbored occult brain metastases. The International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk status was favorable (26%), intermediate (61%), and poor (13%), and 86% of patients had ≥2 extracranial sites of disease, including lung metastases in 92% of patients. CNS involvement was multifocal in 38.5% of patients, and the largest brain metastasis was >1 cm in diameter in 40% of the cohort. Localized brain-directed therapy was pursued in 93% of patients, predominantly radiotherapy. Median overall survival was 10.3 months (range, 7.0-17.9 months), and the 1-year overall survival probability was 48% (95% CI, 37%-62%). IMDC risk and number or size of lesions did not correlate with survival (log-rank, P=.3, P=.25, and P=.067, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This large multi-institutional mRCC cohort study identified occult brain metastasis in a notable proportion of patients (4.3%) and highlights that the risk of asymptomatic CNS involvement extends to those with favorable risk features per IMDC risk assessment. These data provide rationale for brain screening in patients with advanced RCC.

Brain metastases assessment by FDG-PET/CT: can it eliminate the necessity for dedicated brain imaging?

Background

Brain metastases (BM) are the most common intracranial tumors in adults outnumbering all other intracranial neoplasms. Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) is a widely used imaging modality in oncology with a unique combination of cross-sectional anatomic information provided by CT and the metabolic information provided by PET using the [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) as a tracer. The aim of the study is to assess the role and diagnostic performance of brain-included whole-body PET/CT in detection and evaluation of BM and when further imaging is considered necessary. The study was conducted over a period of 12 months on 420 patients suffering from extra-cranial malignancies utilizing brain-included whole-body PET/CT.

Results

Thirty patients with 71 brain lesions were detected, 18 patients (60%) had BM of unknown origin while 12 patients (40%) presented with known primary tumors. After brain-included whole-body FDG-PET/CT examination, the unknown primaries turned out to be bronchogenic carcinoma in 10 patients (33.3%), renal cell carcinoma in 2 patients (6.7%), and lymphoma in 2 patients (6.7%), yet the primary tumors remained unknown in 4 patients (13.3%). In 61 lesions (85.9%), the max SUV ranged from 0.2- < 10, while in 10 lesions (14.1%) the max SUV ranged from 10 to 20. Hypometabolic lesions were reported in 41 (57.7%) lesions, hypermetabolic in 3 lesions (4.2%), whereas 27 lesions (38.0%) showed similar FDG uptake to the corresponding contralateral brain matter. PET/CT overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive, and accuracy values were 78.1, 92.6, 83.3, 90, and 88% respectively.

Conclusion

Brain-included whole-body FDG-PET/CT provides valuable complementary information in the evaluation of patients with suspected BM. However, the diagnostic performance of brain PET-CT carries the possibility of false-negative results with consequent false sense of security. The clinicians should learn about the possible pitfalls of PET/CT interpretation to direct patients with persistent neurological symptoms or high suspicion for BM for further dedicated CNS imaging.

Construction and Validation of a Convenient Clinical Nomogram to Predict the Risk of Brain Metastasis in Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients

Brain metastasis (BM) is a typical type of metastasis in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. The early detection of BM is likely a crucial step for RCC patients to receive appropriate treatment and prolong their overall survival. The aim of this study was to identify the independent predictors of BM and construct a nomogram to predict the risk of BM. Demographic and clinicopathological data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for RCC patients between 2010 and 2015. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors, and then, a visual nomogram was constructed. Multiple parameters were used to evaluate the discrimination and clinical value. We finally included 42577 RCC patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that histological type, tumor size, bone metastatic status, and lung metastatic status were independent BM-associated risk factors for RCC. We developed a nomogram to predict the risk of BM in patients with RCC, which showed favorable calibration with a C-index of 0.924 (0.903-0.945) in the training cohort and 0.911 (0.871-0.952) in the validation cohort. The calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA) also demonstrated the reliability and accuracy of the clinical prediction model. The nomogram was shown to be a practical, precise, and personalized clinical tool for identifying the RCC patients with a high risk of BM, which not only will contribute to the more reasonable allocation of medical resources but will also enable a further improvements in the prognosis and quality of life of RCC patients.

Brain Metastasis From Renal-Cell Carcinoma: An Institutional Study

BACKGROUND

Brain metastases (BM) are frequently observed in advanced renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). Historically these individuals have been excluded from clinical trials, but recently, with better local control, many can receive aggressive therapy after treatment. We evaluate our single-institution experience over various treatment eras.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients undergoing evaluation for RCC BM from 2001 to 2018 were identified from our institutional database. Clinical notes, demographics, comorbidities, histology, central nervous system (CNS) treatments, systemic therapy, and outcomes were reviewed. Overall survival (OS) and CNS recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Cumulative incidence was evaluated using a competing risk model.

RESULTS

We identified 158 patients with RCC BM, of whom 94.4% had clear-cell RCC, and 90.6% had extracranial metastases at diagnosis. Of these patients, 94 (60%) developed RCC BM over time, while 46 (29.1%) had RCC BM at initial presentation. Clinical symptoms were noted in 81.9% of patients. The median OS after diagnosis of RCC BM was 8.4 months, with a 3-year OS of 28.2%. The median CNS RFS was 8.5 months overall; however, those with one and more than one lesion had median CNS RFS of 12.4 and 6 months, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

The majority of RCC patients with BM are symptomatic and had prior metastatic disease that progressed to the brain. Those with a solitary RCC BM are less likely to develop CNS recurrence after local therapy and are ideal candidates for enrollment onto clinical trials.

Renal cell carcinoma and brain metastasis: Questioning the dogma of role for cytoreductive nephrectomy

INTRODUCTION

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) brain metastasis is generally viewed as poor prognostic features and often excludes patients from cytoreductive nephrectomy or participation in clinical trials. We aim to evaluate patients presenting with brain metastasis and their outcomes.

METHODS

Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-18 registries database was queried for all patients with metastatic RCC from 2010 to 2014. Patients with renal cancer as their only malignancy were included. Information was available for metastatic disease to bone, liver, lung, and brain. Patients were then further stratified into those with isolated brain metastases and those with additional metastasis to other sites as well. Overall survival was compared between groups using logrank analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 6,667 patients were identified with metastatic RCC. Among them, 775 (12.1%) had brain metastasis at time of diagnosis. Of these patients with brain metastasis, 152 (20.4%) had isolated brain metastasis. Only 23.8% of all patients with brain metastasis underwent cytoreductive nephrectomy, compared to 40.8% of patients with isolated brain metastasis. Patients with brain and other metastasis and brain metastasis only treated by cytoreductive nephrectomy exhibited a median survival of 11 and 33 months, respectively. Those patients who did not undergo cytoreductive nephrectomy experienced a median survival of 4 and 5 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

It appears that selected patients with brain metastasis may experience durable long-term survival. This information may be beneficial for patient counseling, surgical planning, and consideration for inclusion in clinical trials.

Brain metastases: epidemiology

Brain metastases (BM) are the most commonly diagnosed type of central nervous system tumor in the United States. Estimates of the frequency of BM vary significantly, as there is no nationwide reporting system for metastases. BM may be the first sign of a previously undiagnosed cancer, or occur years or decades after the primary cancer was diagnosed. Incidence of BM varies significantly by primary cancer site. Lung, breast, and melanoma continue to be the leading cause of BM. These tumors are increasingly more common as new therapeutics, advanced imaging, and improved screening have led to lengthened survival after primary diagnosis for cancer patients. BM are difficult to treat, and for most individuals the diagnosis of BM generally portends a poor prognosis.

Characteristics and Prognostic Factors for Patients With HER2-overexpressing Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases in the Era of HER2-targeted Therapy: An Argument for Earlier Detection

BACKGROUND

Although brain metastases (BM) are associated with poor prognosis, patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpressing (HER2⁺) breast cancer (BC) with BM who are treated with anti-HER2 therapy have a relatively longer survival after BM diagnosis compared with other subtypes and HER2⁺ patients previously untreated with anti-HER2 therapy. It is unclear if previously reported prognostic factors are applicable to patients with HER2⁺ BC in the era of HER2-targeted therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We evaluated 100 consecutive patients with HER2⁺ BC with BM who underwent radiation therapy as primary BM treatment from January 2001 to December 2011 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center by retrospective review. Patient characteristics at the time of BM diagnosis and their associations with time from BM to death were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Significantly better survival from BM was noted for patients with higher performance status, fewer BM lesions, continued use of HER2-targeted therapy after BM diagnosis, and better controlled extracranial metastatic disease. Absence of neurologic symptoms at BM diagnosis was significantly associated with fewer lesions, decreased use of whole brain radiotherapy, and longer survival in univariate and multivariate analysis (multivariate hazard ratio, 3.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.69-8.07).

CONCLUSION

Our finding supports the continued use of HER2-targeted therapy after BM diagnosis. In addition, future research on the clinical impact of detecting asymptomatic BM in patients with HER2⁺ BC, in terms of improving prognosis, quality of life, and avoidance of whole brain radiotherapy, is warranted.

Brain Metastases in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Importance

Population-based estimates of the incidence and prognosis of brain metastases at diagnosis of breast cancer are lacking.

Objective

To characterize the incidence proportions and median survivals of patients with breast cancer and brain metastases at the time of cancer diagnosis.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Patients with breast cancer and brain metastases at the time of diagnosis were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of the National Cancer Institute. Data were stratified by subtype, age, sex, and race. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression were performed to identify predictors of the presence of brain metastases at diagnosis and factors associated with all-cause mortality, respectively. For incidence, we identified a population-based sample of 238 726 adult patients diagnosed as having invasive breast cancer between 2010 and 2013 for whom the presence or absence of brain metastases at diagnosis was known. Patients diagnosed at autopsy or with an unknown follow-up were excluded from the survival analysis, leaving 231 684 patients in this cohort.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Incidence proportion and median survival of patients with brain metastases and newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Results

We identified 968 patients with brain metastases at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer, representing 0.41% of the entire cohort and 7.56% of the subset with metastatic disease to any site. A total of 57 were 18 to 40 years old, 423 were 41 to 60 years old, 425 were 61-80 years old, and 63 were older than 80 years. Ten were male and 958 were female. Incidence proportions were highest among patients with hormone receptor (HR)-negative human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive (1.1% among entire cohort, 11.5% among patients with metastatic disease to any distant site) and triple-negative (0.7% among entire cohort, 11.4% among patients with metastatic disease to any distant site) subtypes. Median survival among the entire cohort with brain metastases was 10.0 months. Patients with HR-positive HER2-positive subtype displayed the longest median survival (21.0 months); patients with triple-negative subtype had the shortest median survival (6.0 months).

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study provides population-based estimates of the incidence and prognosis for patients with brain metastases at time of diagnosis of breast cancer. The findings lend support to consideration of screening imaging of the brain for patients with HER2-positive or triple-negative subtypes and extracranial metastases.

Arteriovenous malformation and thyroid metastasis from underlying renal cell carcinoma, an unusual presentation of malignancy: A case report

Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (RCC) comprises over 80% of renal malignancies in adults. Thyroid gland metastasis is rare in RCC. Few studies have described cases of RCC mistaken for benign arteriovenous malformation (AVM). To the best of our knowledge, an AVM arising from underlying RCC metastasis to the brain has not yet been reported. The current study presents a case of RCC metastasis to the thyroid gland, with an AVM identified to be a result of metastatic involvement in the brain. A 45-year-old African-American female presented with left-sided weakness, slurred speech, facial droop and seizure. The patient's medical history was notable for a diagnosis of RCC, 2010 American Joint Committee on Cancer Tumor-Node-Metastasis Stage 1B (T1B, N0, M0) grade III status post-right partial nephrectomy. Computed tomography (CT) imaging revealed a soft-tissue mass, suspected to be metastasis, in the left lobe of the thyroid, in addition to a 1.9 cm right intracranial mass in the parietal lobe. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed a hypermetabolic area in the thyroid. Fine needle aspiration of the thyroid, and subsequent histopathological analysis, suggested a diagnosis of RCC metastasis. Subsequent immunohistochemical analysis of the thyroid tumor confirmed RCC metastasis. The patient also underwent a right partial craniotomy with resection of the intra-axial mass. Initial pathology was suggestive of an AVM. After several months, the patient was readmitted with headache, nausea and vomiting. Repeat imaging revealed recurrence of a 3.9 cm mass that was negative for AVM on biopsy; however, the immunostaining markers were positive for RCC. Recent literature suggests a link between AVMs and RCC as each exhibit highly vascular characteristics. RCC is a particularly vascular tumor that has been demonstrated to lead to the abnormal expression of various angiogenesis-promoting growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor. These angiogenic factors are vital to the pathophysiological pathway involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of RCC, and may explain the development of AVMs within these neoplasms, as demonstrated in the case presented in the current study.