RADIOSURGICAL TREATMENT OF BRAIN METASTASES FROM GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER

Authors: 

DOI:  https://www.doi.org/10.31917/1901058

Objectives. The study aims to analyze the results of Gamma Knife radiosurgery for patients with brain metastases from gastrointestinal cancer taking into consideration prognostic factors.

  • Material and methods. The study includes 96 patients with GI metastases in the brain, who underwent radiosurgical treatment with Leksell Gamma Knife from 2009 to 2016. Overall survival, local control and the appearance of new metastases in the brain were studied by the Kaplan-Meier method based on follow-up data and control MRI.
  • Results. Median overall survival after Gamma Knife radiosurgery was 8,0 months for the entire cohort and differed significantly depending on the RPA class: RPA III – 4,5 months, RPA II – 9,7 months and RPA I – 18,5 months. Local control (stabilization or reduction in tumor volume) was achieved in 94% of cases. The appearance of new metastases in the brain was observed in 47% of patients; the median time to detect new metastatic lesions was 5,8 months. Favorable prognostic factors were a solitary metastasis in the brain and the absence of extra cranial disease.
  • Conclusion. Radiosurgical treatment allows one to achieve effective local control of gastrointestinal metastases in the brain and significantly prolong the patients’ life, especially in prognostically favorable classes.