Survival after whole brain radiotherapy for brain metastases from lung cancer and breast cancer is poor in 6325 Dutch patients treated between 2000 and 2014.
Paul M JeeneKim C de VriesJohanna G H van NesJohannes J M KwakmanGerda WesterTom RozemaPètra M BraamJaap D ZindlerPeter KoperJoost J NuyttensHanneke A Vos-WestermanIlona SchmeetsCharles G H J NiëlStefan HutschemaekersYvette M van der LindenJoost J C VerhoeffLukas J A StalpersPublished in: Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) (2017)
The survival of patients after WBRT for brain metastases from NSCLC treated in Dutch 'common radiotherapy practice' is poor, in breast cancer and younger patients it is disappointingly little better. These results are in line with the results presented in the QUARTZ trial and we advocate a much more restrictive use of WBRT. In patients with a more favourable prognosis the optimal treatment strategy remains to be determined. Prospective randomized trials and individualized prognostic models are needed to identify these patients and to tailor treatment.