Radiotherapy related prognostic factors in brain metastasis patients who have undergone whole brain radiotherapy or with local boost and survived more than 6 months

In this study, prognostic features of radiation were investigated in cancer patients with 1-10 brain metastases (BM) who have not under surgery and survived longer than 6 months.

This retrospective study included 136 patients have lung, breast, colon cancer and malign melanoma (MM) with 1-10 BM. All patients and data of BM patients who lived longer than 6 months radiotherapy (RT) related factors affecting their survival rates were examined. Patients were given only WBRT (Whole brain Radiotherapy) in 8-20 fractions with a 160-300 cGy / day fraction, or WBRT with local boost RT with an additional daily 300-350 cGy fraction.

When the results were evaluated analysis showed that the having CT, breast cancer, a KPS of 60% or more, daily fraction dose of RT affected survival significantly in all patients. Then subgroub analysis were obtained according to survival rates, number of metastases more than 5 affects life negatively (r=-0.435 and p=0.03) for survival longer than 6 months (SL6m) and survival shorter or equal than 6 months SS6m. The WBRT doses of 3000 cGy with 300 cGy daily fraction size negatively affected life compared to 2500 cGy with 250 cGy  (r=-0.280 and p=0.01).

It was determined that KPS > 60 and limiting WBRT doses up to 250 / 2500 cGy daily and total in patients with BM between 1-10 was the important best prognostic factor due to RT for SL6m, which increased patient performance and survival rates.