Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Characteristics | All patients | RT to cavity only | RT to cavity and in situ BM | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | 0.855 | |||
| Male | 32 (43) | 26 (35) | 6 (8) | |
| Female | 43 (57) | 39 (52) | 4 (5) | |
| Age at diagnosis (years) | 62.9 (33.3–79.2) | 63.3 (33.3–79.2) | 58.2 (42.2–76.1) | 0.436 |
| Histology | 0.262 | |||
| Lung | 37 (49) | 35 (47) | 2 (3) | |
| Breast | 6 (8) | 5 (7) | 1 (1) | |
| Melanoma | 13 (17) | 11 (15) | 2 (3) | |
| RCC | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | 0 (0) | |
| Colorectal | 8 (11) | 6 (8) | 2 (3) | |
| Other | 9 (12) | 6 (8) | 3 (4) | |
| Location of cavity | 0.441 | |||
| Supratentorial | 61 (79) | 54 (70) | 7 (9) | |
| Infratentorial | 16 (21) | 14 (18) | 2 (3) | |
| Number of BM | < 0.001 | |||
| 1 | 63 (84) | 63 (84) | NA | |
| 2 | 11 (15) | 2 (3) | 9 (12) | |
| 3 | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | |
| Fractionation | 0.517 | |||
| SRS | 60 (78) | 53 (69) | 7 (9) | |
| HFSRT | 17 (22) | 14 (18) | 3 (4) | |
| ECOG score | 0.305 | |||
| 0 | 54 (72) | 48 (64) | 6 (8) | |
| 1 | 14 (19) | 12 (16) | 2 (3) | |
| 2 or NA | 7 (9) | 5 (6) | 2 (3) | |
| GPA score | 0.002 | |||
| 3.5–4 | 23 (31) | 23 (31) | 0 (0) | |
| 2.5–3 | 35 (47) | 32 (43) | 3 (4) | |
| 0–2 | 13 (17) | 8 (11) | 5 (7) | |
| NA | 4 (5) | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | |
| BM symptomatic initially | 0.490 | |||
| No or unknown | 5 (7) | 4 (5) | 1 (1) | |
| Yes | 70 (93) | 61 (81) | 9 (12) | |
| Residual tumor | 0.143 | |||
| No | 60 (78) | 54 (70) | 6 (8) | |
| Yes | 17 (22) | 13 (17) | 4 (5) | |
| Systemic cancer treatment | 0.363 | |||
| No or unknown | 37 (49) | 32 (43) | 5 (7) | |
| Yes | 38 (51) | 33 (44) | 5 (7) | |
| Cytotoxic | 25 (33) | 22 (29) | 3 (4) | |
| Immunotherapy/targeted | 6 (8) | 4 (5) | 2 (3) | |
| Combined | 7 (9) | 7 (9) | 0 (0) | |
| Extracranial tumor status | 0.462 | |||
| Stable | 27 (36) | 25 (33) | 2 (3) | |
| Progression | 44 (59) | 37 (49) | 7 (9) | |
| Unknown | 4 (5) | 3 (4) | 1 (1) | |
| Initial BMV | 0.55 (0.05–11.4) | 0.59 (0.05–11.4) | 0.48 (0.13–4.93) | 0.705 |
| BMV | 0.13 (0–84.4) | 0 (0–64.9) | 3.97 (1.34–84.4) | 0.067 |
| MRI follow-up at 3 months | 0.112 | |||
| No | 35 (47) | 28 (37) | 7 (9) | |
| Yes | 40 (53) | 37 (49) | 3 (4) | |
| No. of MRI per 180 days | 1 (0–5.2) | 1.1 (0–5.2) | 0.3 (0–3.8) | 0.083 |
Values represent numbers (percent) or median (range) if not specified otherwise
RT radiotherapy, BM brain metastasis, RCC renal cell carcinoma, SRS stereotactic radiosurgery, HFSRT hypo-fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, ECOG Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, GPA Graded Prognostic Assessment, NA not applicable, BMV brain metastasis velocity