Factors Affecting Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastasis

In this study, prognostic factors in non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastasis, and relation between brain metastasis location and survival were investigated. 103 NSCLC patients with brain metastasis were enrolled in this study. Demographic, clinical characteristics and treatment modalities of the patients who were followed up in medical oncology department between May 2009 and February 2015 were assessed retrospectively using the hospital database. Brain metastasis location, treatment of brain metastasis, systemic treatment after brain metastasis and survival of the patients were recorded. The relation between these factors and survival was assessed. Follow-up period of the patients was between one and 42 months. Mean survival of the patients after brain metastasis diagnosis was 7.2 months. In the single variant analyses; patient age below 65, good performance status, detection of brain metastasis during initial diagnosis and receiving systemic treatment after brain metastasis were found to be positive prognostic factors. In the multivariant analyses; while combined treatment of brain metastasis with surgery and radiotherapy and systemic therapy after brain metastasis were found to be independent prognostic factors, no relation between location of brain metastasis and survival was found. In this study, systemic therapy including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy was found as independent prognostic factors in selected patients who had NSCLC with brain metastasis. We think that defining prognostic factors in lung cancer patients with brain metastasis is important for both estimating prognosis and selecting optimal therapy for the patient.