title: Risk factors and survival outcomes in patients with brain metastases from breast cancer.
abstract: Development of central nervous system (CNS) metastases in breast cancer (BC) is associated with poor prognosis. The incidence of CNS metastases in metastatic BC is reported to be about 10-16 %, but different subtypes of BC are associated with different risk of developing CNS metastases. We retrospectively analysed the risk of CNS metastases and the outcome in a cohort of 473 patients with metastatic BC. CNS metastases were diagnosed in 15.6 % of patients and median survival from diagnosis of CNS metastases was 7.53 (25th-75th 2.8-18.9) months. The risk of developing CNS metastases was higher in patients with grade 3, hormone receptor negative, HER2-positive, high Ki-67 BC. When compared to luminal A subtype, only HER2-positive BC was associated with increased risk of CNS metastases. Survival from diagnosis of CNS metastases was longer in patients with HER2-positive BC, while it was shorter in patients that did not receive any locoregional treatment, or with extra-CNS disease, or with more than 3 CNS lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Udine, Piazzale S.M. Misericordia, 33100, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Minisini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moroso
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerratana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giangreco
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Poletto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guardascione
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fontanella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fasola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puglisi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone