Brain metastases in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer responding to single-agent gefitinib: a case report

Oral Targeted Therapies and Central Nervous System (CNS) Metastases

The purpose of our review is to summarize the clinical activity of oral targeted agents against brain metastases. This includes BRAF inhibitors (dabrafenib and vemurafenib), human epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (lapatinib, gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib), multi-kinase angiogenesis inhibitors (sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, and vandetanib), and ALK/c-MET (crizotinib) and ALK/IGF-1 (ceritinib) inhibitors. Effective systemic therapies are needed for long-term benefit in brain metastases and documentation of intracranial activity for many therapies is poor. Our review provides a summary of the literature with pertinent data for clinicians. This is needed as subjects with brain metastases are often prevented from enrolling in clinical trials and investigations focused on systemic therapies for brain metastases are rare.

Update in the treatment of brain metastases from lung cancer

Brain metastases from lung cancer represent a prevalent and challenging clinical dilemma. The brain is an extremely common site of failure for non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer, often as a solitary site of disease. Despite steady research developments during recent years, survival rates remain poor. Some research suggests that the outcomes and characteristics of brain metastases that result from lung cancer primary sites are perhaps different than those from other primary sites. Clinical treatment strategies should therefore be adjusted accordingly. This article reviews the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment strategies of brain metastases from lung cancer with a particular emphasis on recent research developments in the field.