Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases in Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with brain metastatic disease has traditionally involved whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). The role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is unclear.Our study was a retrospective review of an SRS database evaluating patients with SCLC who received SRS. A total of 70 patients and 337 treated brain metastases (BM) were analyzed. Forty-five patients had previous WBRT. The median number of treated BM was 4 (range, 1-29).Median survival was 4.9 months (range, 0.70-23.9). The number of treated BM was correlated with survival; patients with fewer BM had improved overall survival (P < .021). The number of treated BM was associated with different brain failure rates; 1-year central nervous system control rates were 39.2% for 1 to 2 BM, 27.6% for 3 to 5 BM, and 0% for >5 treated BM. Patients with previous WBRT had worse brain failure rates (P < .040). For patients without previous WBRT, the 1-year distant brain failure rate was 48%, and median time to distant failure was 15.3 months.SRS for SCLC in patients with <5 BM appears to offer acceptable control rates. Patients with >5 BM have high rates of subsequent brain failure and are not ideal candidates for SRS.