title: Number of involved extracranial organs predicts survival in patients with brain metastasis from small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prognostic role of the number of involved extracranial organs in patients with brain metastasis from small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 155 patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone for brain metastasis from SCLC were retrospectively evaluated. In addition to the number of involved extracranial organs, six potential prognostic factors were analyzed including WBRT regimen, age, gender, Karnofsky performance score (KPS), number of brain metastases, and interval from diagnosis of SCLC to WBRT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six-month survival rates of patients with involvement of 0, 1, 2, and ≥3 extracranial organs were 52%, 29%, 9%, and 0%, respectively (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, the number of involved extracranial organs remained significant (p=0.003). Older age (p=0.005), lower KPS (p<0.001), and greater number of brain metastases (p=0.005) were also significantly associated with poorer survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of involved extracranial organs is an independent prognostic factor of survival in SCLC patients with brain metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany. rades.dirk@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Lavinia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerdan
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Šegedin
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veninga
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rades
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Brain metastasis; SCLC; extracranial organs; prognostic factors; survival