Published in

BioMed Central, Radiation Oncology, 1(6), 2011

DOI: 10.1186/1748-717x-6-181

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Population-based outcomes after whole brain radiotherapy and re-irradiation in patients with metastatic breast cancer in the trastuzumab era

Journal article published in 2011 by Irene Karam, Alan Nichol ORCID, Ryan Woods, Scott Tyldesley
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Abstract Purpose This study examined the population-based use and outcomes of brain radiotherapy (BRT) for brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer with a focus on repeat BRT in the trastuzumab era. Methods and materials All women with breast cancer diagnosed from 2000-2007 and treated with BRT were retrospectively identified from a provincial database. Results A total of 441 women with BM from breast cancer were identified. The median age was 55 years and 40% (176/441) had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive disease. The median survival (MS) from the initial BRT for all 441 women was 4.5 months. The MS by Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) class was: 1 (14.5 months), 2 (6.4 months) and 3 (1.8 months). For the 37 cases receiving repeat BRT, 27% (10/37) had stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and 70% (26/37) had HER2 positive disease, of which, 81% (21/26) received trastuzumab in the metastatic setting. For repeat BRT, the median survival by RPA class was: 1 (9.8 months), 2 (7.4 months) and 3 (2.0 months). For RPA class 1 and 2, the one-year overall survival (OS) was 45%. Conclusion The proportion of cases with HER2 positive disease was increased at repeat BRT compared to initial BRT. RPA class 1 and 2 patients should be considered for repeat BRT.