title: A new prognostic score derived from phase I study participants with advanced solid tumours is also valid in patients with brain metastasis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a new prognostic score, originally developed in patients with advanced solid tumours participating in phase I trials, for patients with brain metastases treated outside of clinical trials. Seventy-one consecutive patients were assigned 1 point for more than two sites of metastasis, 1 point for albumin <35 g/l, and 1 point for lactate dehydrogenase >upper limit of normal. Forty-eight patients (68%) were assigned 0-1 points (favourable group) and 23 patients (32%) had 2-3 points (unfavourable group). Median overall survival from initiation of therapy was 5.5 months for those with score 0-1 versus 2.7 months for those with score 2-3, p<0.05. The new score appears to predict survival in other groups of patients with metastatic cancer, not only those participating in phase I clinical trials. Its performance should be evaluated in larger groups of patients and head to head comparisons of the established brain metastases scores with this new model should be made.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine, Nordland Hospital, 8092 Bodø, Norway. carsten.nieder@nlsh.no
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nieder
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalhaug
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000077210:Sunitinib; D000068878:Trastuzumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007211:Indoles; D011758:Pyrroles; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D000077210:Sunitinib