[Brain metastases of non small cell lung cancers: systemic treatments]

Improved Survival With Surgical Treatment of Primary Lung Lesions in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Brain Metastases: A Propensity‐Matched Analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database

Objectives

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Brain metastases (BM) is an advanced disease with poor prognosis and low survival rate. Our study evaluated the survival benefit of primary lung resection with mediastinal lymph node dissection in NSCLC patients with BM using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-result (SEER) databases.

Methods

All cases analyzed were from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. The data of the patients with BM of NSCLC from 2010 to 2016 was retrospectively analyzed. Patients (N=203) patients who underwent radical surgical treatment for primary lung lesions and patients (N=15500) who did not undergo surgery were compared. We successfully analyzed patients using propensity score matching (PSM). Kaplan‐Meier and Cox‐ regression analyses were applied to assess prognosis.

Results

The median survival in the surgery group was longer than in the control group (27 months vs 5 months; P < 0.001) in the overall sample, 21 months longer compared to the control group (27 months vs 6 months; P<0.001) in a PSM cohort. Cox regression analysis showed that underwent surgery patients in the propensity-matched sample had a significantly lower risk of mortality (HR:0.243, 95%CI: 0.162-0.365, P < 0.001) compared with untreated patients. Multivariate analysis identified the following as independent risk factors for NSCLC with BM: no primary resection surgery, age >65 years, worse differentiation, squamous cell carcinoma, lymphatic metastasis, no systemic therapy. Subgroup analysis revealed that radical resection of the primary lung provided a survival benefit regardless of marital status, tumor size, tumor grade, tumor T stage, and mediastinal lymph node metastasis after PSM.

Conclusion

Radical resection of primary lung can improve the survival of NSCLC patients with BM. Male, age>65years, poorly differentiated tumor, tumor size>5cm, and mediastinal lymph node metastasis were factors for poor survival.

Methods and results of locoregional treatment of brain metastases in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

This article presents methods and results of surgery and radiotherapy of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (BMF-NSCLC). Patients with single BMF-NSCLC, with Karnofsky score ≥ 70 and controlled extracranial disease are the best candidates for surgery. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is recommended in patients with 1-3 BMF-NSCLC below 3-3.5 cm, with minor neurological symptoms, located in parts of the brain not accessible to surgery, with controlled extracranial disease. Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) following SRS reduces the risk of local relapse; in selected patients median survival reaches more than 10 months. Whole brain radiotherapy alone is a treatment in patients with multiple metastases, poor performance status, uncontrolled extracranial disease, disqualified from surgery or SRS with median survival 3 to 6 months. There is no doubt that there are patients with BMF-NSCLC who should receive only the best supportive care. There is a debate in the literature on how to select these patients.

Systemic treatment of non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases

In the systemic treatment of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (BMF-NSCLC) chemo- and targeted therapy are used. Response rates after platinum-based chemotherapy, range from 23% to 45%. Development of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs): gefitinib or erlotinib, was an improvement in treatment of advanced NSCLC patients. EGFR mutations are present in 10-25% of NSCLC (mostly adenocarcinoma), and up to 55% in never-smoking women of East Asian descent. In the non-selected group of patients with BMF-NSCLC, the overall response rates after gefitinib or erlotinib treatment range from 10% to 38%, and the duration of response ranges from 9 to 13.5 months. In the case of present activating EGFR mutation, the response rate after EGRF-TKIs is greater than 50%, and in selected groups (adenocarcinoma, patients of Asian descent, never-smokers, asymptomatic BMF-NSCLC) even 70%. Gefitinib or erlotinib treatment improves survival of BMF-NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation in comparison to cases without the presence of this mutation. There is no data on the activity of the anti-EML4-ALK agent crizotinib. Bevacizumab, recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody anti-VEGF, in the treatment of advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients is a subject of intense research. Data from a clinical trial enrolling patients with pretreated or occult BMF-NSCLC proved that the addition of bevacizumab to various chemotherapy agents or erlotinib is a safe and efficient treatment, associated with a low incidence of CSN haemorrhages. However, the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab used for therapeutic intent, regarding active brain metastases is unknown.

[Surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer patients with synchronous solitary brain metastasis]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Brain metastases are common in non-small cell lung cancer. Usual treatments include radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, these methods result in poor patient prognosis. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of surgical resection in the multimodality management of non-small cell lung cancer patients with synchronous solitary brain metastasis.

METHODS

The clinical data of 46 non-small cell lung cancer patients with synchronous solitary brain metastasis were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent surgical resection of primary lung tumor, followed by whole brain radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In addition, 13 out of the 46 patients underwent resection of brain metastasis, whereas the remaining 33 patients received stereotactic radiosurgery.

RESULTS

The median survival time of the enrolled patients was 16.8 months. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 76.1%, 20.9%, and 4.7%, respectively. The median survival times of the patients with brain metastasis resection or stereotactic radiosurgery were 18.3 and 15.8 months, respectively (P=0.091,2).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical resection of primary lung tumor and brain metastasis may improve prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients with synchronous solitary brain metastasis. However, the survival benefit of surgical resection over brain metastasis resection or stereotactic radiosurgery is uncertain.

[Management of brain metastases for lung cancer patients]

Brain metastases from primary lung cancer represent 40% of all brain metastases. On the other hand, 10 to 80% of primary lung cancer patients will present with synchronous or metachronous brain metastases. Management of these patients is therefore a big challenge. The management will depend on the circumstances of diagnosis (symptomatic or not), the cancer history (synchronous or metachronous brain metastases), the histology and the number of lesions.