Table 1.
Search strategy and selection criteria
| • A Task Force was appointed in 2014 by the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO) to draw guidelines on the management of brain metastases from solid tumors. The Task Force was composed of medical experts from 10 European countries, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, neuroradiologists, and neuropathologists. |
| • References were identified through searches of PubMed, using specific and sensitive keywords, as well as combinations of keywords. Abstracts presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2014 and 2015 were considered as well when relevant. When available, we also collected existing guidelines from national multidisciplinary neuro-oncological societies. The final reference list was generated on the basis of originality and relevance to the scope of this review. The last update on PubMed was on July 15, 2016. |
| • Scientific evidence was assessed and graded according to the following categories: class I evidence was derived from randomized phase III clinical trials; class IIa evidence derived from randomized phase II trials; class IIb evidence derived from single arm phase II trials; class IIIa evidence derived from prospective studies, including observational studies, cohort studies, and case-control studies; class IIIb evidence derived from retrospective studies; and class IV evidence derived from uncontrolled case series, case reports, and expert opinions. |
| • To establish recommendation levels, the following criteria were used: level A required at least one class I study or 2 consistent class IIa studies; level B required at least one class IIa study or several class IIb and III studies; level C required at least 2 consistent class III studies. When there was insufficient evidence to categorize recommendations in levels A–C we classified the recommendations as a Good Practice Point, if agreed by all members of the task force. |
| • When drawing recommendations, at any stage, the differences were resolved by discussions and, if persisting, were reported in the text. |