Table 3.

Use of conventional WBRT to treat patients with brain metastases, including treatment characteristics, associated toxicities, local control and overall survival rates

Source	Sample size	Dose regimes	Planning	Treatment time	Toxicity	Local control/overall survival
Barnes et al.4	137 patients (1–4 lesions)	20 Gy/5fx	N/A	N/A	‐Neurological symptoms	‐MS = 2.5 months
Casanova et al.6	83 patients (1–3 lesions)	30–40 Gy/10fx	2 opposing lateral beams 6 MV	N/A	‐Minimal late radiation‐induced toxicity ‐Alopecia in 33.9% of patients. ‐No gross neurocognitive dysfunction. ‐Asthenia in 9.8% of patients	‐MS = 14.5 ± 1.3 months ○ 6 month LCR = 29.5% ○ 12 month LCR = 60.8%
Gerrard et al.7	38 patients (>2 lesions)	30 Gy/10fx	2 opposing lateral beams 6 MV	N/A	N/A	‐OS was poor ○ MS = 2 months post‐treatment
Hauswald et al.15	87 patients (1–5 lesions)	30 Gy/10fx 40 Gy/20fx SIB	2 opposing lateral beams 6 MV	N/A	‐Acute side effects in 97% patients:: ○ Headache ○ Fatigue ○ Nausea ○ Dizziness ‐Late side effect ○ Ongoing fatigue	‐MS = 3.5 months ○ 6 month SR = 29.2% ○ 12 month SR = 16.5% ○ 24 month SR = 8.6%
Li et al.16	208 patients (>2 lesions)	30 Gy/10fx	N/A	N/A	‐Some deterioration in neurocognitive functioning	‐MS = 5 months

Gy, Gray; fx, fractions; MV, megavoltage; SIB, simultaneous integrated boost; MS, median survival; LCR, local control rate; SR, survival rate; OS, overall survival; N/A, not available in these studies.