Trastuzumab has been widely used for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing breast cancer, however, it cannot easily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and is known to increase the incidence of brain metastases. In contrast, lapatinib has a low molecular weight and can cross the BBB and it could be useful to treat brain metastases in patients with HER2-...

Abstract AIMS Brain metastases carry significant morbidity and mortality. The survival of patients with metastatic disease has improved due to systemic therapy advances conferring greater extracranial control. Optimal intracranial local control is probably surgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. However, there a cohort for whom this inappropriate, either patient fitness reasons. Tradit...

Abstract AIMS Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) brain metastases (BM) are common at both presentation and relapse. Historically, BM managed with whole radiotherapy (WBRT) +/- chemotherapy. However, WBRT is associated significant cognitive impairment, so interest in the focal management of (encompassing stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) surgery) increasing. We systematically reviewed current literatur...

Purpose To compare Whole-brain radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost (WBRT+SIB) to stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)with brain metastases (BMs)in terms of overall survival (OS), intracranial progression-free-survival(iPFS), toxicity and objective response rate (ORR) Methods A retrospective review was performed in our hospital 90 patients diagno...

PURPOSE To determine how the omission of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) affects the neurocognitive function of patients with one to four brain metastases who have been treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). METHODS AND MATERIALS In a prospective randomized trial between WBRT+SRS and SRS alone for patients with one to four brain metastases, we assessed the neurocognitive function using...

BACKGROUND Lobular carcinomas in situ (LCIS) represent 1-2% of all breast cancers. Both significance and treatment remain widely debated, as well as the possible similarities with DCIS. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hundred patients with pure LCIS were retrospectively analyzed in seven centres from 1990 to 2008. Median age was 52 years; 176 patients underwent breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and 2...

BACKGROUND Whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), or both are commonly employed in the treatment of limited brain metastases in the initial or recurrent setting. Hypofractionated partial volume irradiation is also employed, however, published experience using helical TomoTherapy (HT) for this purposes is limited. We reviewed our institutional experience to assess...

AIM OF THE STUDY To evaluate the feasibility of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) by forward intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients with 1-3 brain metastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two forward IMRT plans were implemented among 18 patients. In plan A, the prescribed dose was 30 Gy to the whole brain (PTVWBRT) and 50 Gy to individual bra...

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become a widely available treatment option for patients with brain metastases. Recent clinical trials suggest that SRS can be used without upfront whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), resulting in several clinical dilemmas in the current daily practice of SRS. The proper patient selection for SRS or WBRT continues to evolve. Statistical models to predict when new...

Brain metastases (BM) are found in approximately 20-40% of all patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially in adenocarcinoma (Olak 1999; Yawn et al., 2003). The outcomes of BM from NSCLC are very poor with few effective treatment options. The median overall survival time (OS) of patients without treatment is less than 3 months (Nussbaum et al., 1996). Whole brain radiotherapy (...