Liesa Dziggel1, Niklas Gebauer2, Tobias Bartscht2, Steven E Schild3, Dirk Rades4. 1. Department of Radiation Oncology and Hematology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany. 2. Department of Medical Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany. 3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, U.S.A. 4. Department of Radiation Oncology and Hematology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany rades.dirk@gmx.net.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer are extremely rare. This study evaluated clinical factors for survival following whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In six patients, the following factors were analyzed for survival: Regimen of WBRT (5×4 Gy vs. 10×3 Gy), gender, age (≤55 vs. ≥56 years), Karnofsky performance score (KPS) (60% vs. 70-80%), number of brain lesions (2-3 vs. ≥4) and number of extra-cranial metastatic sites (one vs. more than one). RESULTS: KPS 70-80% (p=0.036) and involvement of only one extra-cranial site (p=0.018) were associated with better survival on univariate analysis. On Cox regression analysis, KPS (p=0.14) and number of extra-cranial sites (p=0.14) showed trends for association with survival. In patients with KPS 70-80% and only one extra-cranial site, 6-month survival was 100%, no patient with KPS 60% and more than one extra-cranial site survived to 6 months. CONCLUSION: KPS and number of involved extra-cranial metastatic sites were associated with survival and may be helpful for individualizing therapy in patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer. Copyright
BACKGROUND/AIM: Patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer are extremely rare. This study evaluated clinical factors for survival following whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In six patients, the following factors were analyzed for survival: Regimen of WBRT (5×4 Gy vs. 10×3 Gy), gender, age (≤55 vs. ≥56 years), Karnofsky performance score (KPS) (60% vs. 70-80%), number of brain lesions (2-3 vs. ≥4) and number of extra-cranial metastatic sites (one vs. more than one). RESULTS: KPS 70-80% (p=0.036) and involvement of only one extra-cranial site (p=0.018) were associated with better survival on univariate analysis. On Cox regression analysis, KPS (p=0.14) and number of extra-cranial sites (p=0.14) showed trends for association with survival. In patients with KPS 70-80% and only one extra-cranial site, 6-month survival was 100%, no patient with KPS 60% and more than one extra-cranial site survived to 6 months. CONCLUSION: KPS and number of involved extra-cranial metastatic sites were associated with survival and may be helpful for individualizing therapy in patients with brain metastases from thyroid cancer. Copyright