AIM: Brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare and causes devastating outcomes with intracranial hemorrhage. We retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy in preventing hemorrhagic events among patients with brain metastasis from HCC. METHODS: Patients who underwent treatment for brain metastasis from HCC at our cancer center between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from a prospectively compiled hospital database. Clinical characteristics were analyzed in patients with and without radiotherapy. RESULTS: Fifteen HCC patients with brain metastasis from HCC were classified into two groups: 11 patients underwent radiotherapy (group R) and four patients received best supportive care without radiotherapy (group N). Six patients (54.5%) in group R and four patients (100%) in group N showed intracranial hemorrhage at presentation of brain metastasis. No patients in group R experienced intracranial hemorrhage during follow up, although two patients in group N did. Median overall survival was 22.4 weeks (range, 5.42-69.1) in group R and 2.24 weeks (range, 1.0-15.4) in group N. CONCLUSION: For patients with brain metastasis from HCC, radiotherapy appears useful for controlling brain lesions, preventing intracranial hemorrhage and improving survival. Radiotherapy may contribute to control of intracranial tumor and prevention of intracranial hemorrhage for selected patients with brain metastasis from HCC.
AIM: Brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare and causes devastating outcomes with intracranial hemorrhage. We retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy in preventing hemorrhagic events among patients with brain metastasis from HCC. METHODS:Patients who underwent treatment for brain metastasis from HCC at our cancer center between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from a prospectively compiled hospital database. Clinical characteristics were analyzed in patients with and without radiotherapy. RESULTS: Fifteen HCC patients with brain metastasis from HCC were classified into two groups: 11 patients underwent radiotherapy (group R) and four patients received best supportive care without radiotherapy (group N). Six patients (54.5%) in group R and four patients (100%) in group N showed intracranial hemorrhage at presentation of brain metastasis. No patients in group R experienced intracranial hemorrhage during follow up, although two patients in group N did. Median overall survival was 22.4 weeks (range, 5.42-69.1) in group R and 2.24 weeks (range, 1.0-15.4) in group N. CONCLUSION: For patients with brain metastasis from HCC, radiotherapy appears useful for controlling brain lesions, preventing intracranial hemorrhage and improving survival. Radiotherapy may contribute to control of intracranial tumor and prevention of intracranial hemorrhage for selected patients with brain metastasis from HCC.