Biomaterial Database

Multimodality management of non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases. 2010

Serena Ricciardi, and Filippo de Marinis

Thoracic-Oncology Unit 1st, Lung Diseases Department, San Camillo-Forlanini High Specialization Hospitals, Rome, Italy. sricciardi@interfree.it

OBJECTIVE Brain metastases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, and are the most common intracranial tumors in adults. The prognosis of patients with brain metastases is very poor. The increasing incidence of brain metastases is directly related to the improvements in the treatment of systemic disease. Commonly, brain metastases are discovered after the diagnosis of cancer, often after other systemic metastases have developed. In this review article, we present the standard treatment approach and discuss new directions. RESULTS The most widely used treatment for patients with brain metastases is whole-brain radiotherapy. Actually, surgery and radiotherapy remain the principal therapeutic interventions. In contrast, the benefit of chemotherapy has long been viewed with skepticism.In an effort to improve the therapeutic ratio, radiosensitizers are often used concurrently with external-beam radiation: motexafin gadolinium and efaproxaril.Novel anticancer agents are under clinical investigation. CONCLUSIONS The management of patients with brain metastases with non-small cell lung cancer has improved over time, due to the development of new treatment options and a better knowledge of prognostic factors.In the next 5 years, the results of several ongoing multicenter randomized trials will become available to further define the role of various radiation sensitizers and chemotherapeutic agents in combination with stereotactic radiosurgery, whole-brain radiation therapy, or both.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D011838	Radiation-Sensitizing Agents	Drugs used to potentiate the effectiveness of radiation therapy in destroying unwanted cells.	Radiation Sensitizer,Radiosensitizing Agent,Radiosensitizing Agents,Agents, Radiation-Sensitizing,Radiation Sensitizers,Radiation Sensitizing Agents,Radiation-Sensitizing Drugs,Radiation-Sensitizing Effect,Radiation-Sensitizing Effects,Radiosensitizing Drugs,Radiosensitizing Effect,Radiosensitizing Effects,Agent, Radiosensitizing,Agents, Radiation Sensitizing,Agents, Radiosensitizing,Drugs, Radiation-Sensitizing,Drugs, Radiosensitizing,Effect, Radiation-Sensitizing,Effect, Radiosensitizing,Effects, Radiation-Sensitizing,Effects, Radiosensitizing,Radiation Sensitizing Drugs,Radiation Sensitizing Effect,Radiation Sensitizing Effects,Sensitizer, Radiation,Sensitizers, Radiation,Sensitizing Agents, Radiation
D001932	Brain Neoplasms	Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain.	Brain Cancer,Brain Metastases,Brain Tumors,Cancer of Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Tumors,Neoplasms, Intracranial,Benign Neoplasms, Brain,Brain Neoplasm, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Benign,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Primary Malignant,Brain Tumor, Primary,Brain Tumor, Recurrent,Cancer of the Brain,Intracranial Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasms, Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Brain,Neoplasms, Brain, Benign,Neoplasms, Brain, Malignant,Neoplasms, Brain, Primary,Primary Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Tumors,Benign Brain Neoplasm,Benign Brain Neoplasms,Benign Neoplasm, Brain,Brain Benign Neoplasm,Brain Benign Neoplasms,Brain Cancers,Brain Malignant Neoplasm,Brain Malignant Neoplasms,Brain Metastase,Brain Neoplasm,Brain Neoplasm, Benign,Brain Neoplasm, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Primary,Brain Tumor,Brain Tumors, Recurrent,Cancer, Brain,Intracranial Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Intracranial,Primary Brain Neoplasm,Primary Brain Tumor,Primary Brain Tumors,Recurrent Brain Tumor,Recurrent Brain Tumors,Tumor, Brain
D002289	Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung	A heterogeneous aggregate of at least three distinct histological types of lung cancer, including SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA; ADENOCARCINOMA; and LARGE CELL CARCINOMA. They are dealt with collectively because of their shared treatment strategy.	Carcinoma, Non-Small Cell Lung,Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma,Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma,Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer,Carcinoma, Non Small Cell Lung,Carcinomas, Non-Small-Cell Lung,Lung Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell,Lung Carcinomas, Non-Small-Cell,Non Small Cell Lung Carcinoma,Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinomas
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016371	Cranial Irradiation	The exposure of the head to roentgen rays or other forms of radioactivity for therapeutic or preventive purposes.	Cranial Irradiations,Irradiation, Cranial,Irradiations, Cranial
D019635	Neurosurgical Procedures	Surgery performed on the nervous system or its parts.	Procedures, Neurosurgical,Surgical Procedures, Neurologic,Neurologic Surgical Procedure,Neurologic Surgical Procedures,Neurosurgical Procedure,Procedure, Neurologic Surgical,Procedure, Neurosurgical,Procedures, Neurologic Surgical,Surgical Procedure, Neurologic