Clinical research on systemic chemotherapy concurrent whole brain radiotherapy for brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Objective To explore the feasibility and safety of systemic chemotherapy concurrent whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases. Methods Eighty cases of NSCLC patients with brain metastases were divided into observation group (40 cases) and the control group (40 cases) according to random number table. Patients were given systemic chemotherapy synchronous WBRT or sequential WBRT. Results The Ⅰ-Ⅳ degree leukocytopenia incidences of the two groups were 12.5%, 25.0%, 25.0%, 0.0 and 30.0%, 25.0%, 12.5%, 15.0%, and there was statistical significance (χ2=12.12, P 0.05). The median progression free survival of the observation group and of the control group were (3.5±2.3) months and (3.6±1.1) months, respec-tively, with no significant difference (t=5.23, P>0.05). But the 1-years survival rate in the observation group was 37.5% (15/40), significantly higher than that in the control group (17.5%, 7/40), which had statistical significance (χ2=9.11, P<0.05). Conclusion The safety of systemic chemotherapy synchronous WBRT for NSCLC patients with brain metastases is higher, with good curative effect and strong application feasibility. Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung; Neoplasm metastasis; Drug therapy; Whole brain radiotherapy