title: Up-front chemotherapy and radiation treatment in newly diagnosed nonsmall cell lung cancer with brain metastases: survey by Outcome Research Network for Evaluation of Treatment Results in Oncology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For patients with stage IV nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who present with brain metastasis (BMs), standard platinum-based chemotherapy regimens have challenged the role of up-front whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this survey, the authors analyzed the decision tree by which 6 oncologic centers guided the pattern of care in an unselected population of patients with NSCLC who presented with BMs at first diagnosis. The impact of front-line, platinum-based chemotherapy also was evaluated. Individual data were reviewed from 156 eligible patients who were referred to participating centers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Up-front treatment included chemotherapy in 110 patients and WBRT followed by chemotherapy in 46 patients. The selection of first treatment was guided based mainly on the presence of by BM symptoms, with chemotherapy selected for 24% of patients in the chemotherapy cohort and for 76% of patients in the chemotherapy and WBRT cohort. Regardless of treatment, the brain response was 29% (27% and 35% for the chemotherapy and WBRT cohorts, respectively; P value not significant). For the entire population, the overall response rate was 37%, progression-free survival was 6 months, and the median survival was 11 months. At multivariate analysis, significant predictors for survival were: brain response (hazard ratio [HR], 2.59; P = .0001), modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group class (HR, 0.87; P = .003), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (HR, 1.49; P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For patients with NSCLC who present with BMs at first diagnosis, the results of the current survey confirmed that the expected benefit of platinum-based chemotherapy may be translated into clinical practice and that selected subsets of patients who receive frontline chemotherapy (ie, patients in whom BM symptoms are absent or are controlled by supportive therapy) may be spared from WBRT. Further prospective studies evaluating different approaches and interventions are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Central Hospital of Belcolle, Viterbo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moscetti
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nelli
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felici
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Auria
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mansueto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sperduti
authors.forename: Francesco C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Pollera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome