Olav Erich Yri , Guro Lindviksmoen Astrup , Astrid Telhaug Karlsson , Rene van Helvoirt , Marianne Jensen Hjermstad , Kristin Moksnes Husby , Jon Håvard Loge , Jo-Åsmund Lund , Tonje Lundeby , Ørnulf Paulsen , Eva Skovlund , Marius-Ioan Taran , Rebecca Rootwelt Winther , Nina Aass , Stein Kaasa
{"title":"Survival and quality of life after first-time diagnosis of brain metastases: a multicenter, prospective, observational study","authors":"Olav Erich Yri , Guro Lindviksmoen Astrup , Astrid Telhaug Karlsson , Rene van Helvoirt , Marianne Jensen Hjermstad , Kristin Moksnes Husby , Jon Håvard Loge , Jo-Åsmund Lund , Tonje Lundeby , Ørnulf Paulsen , Eva Skovlund , Marius-Ioan Taran , Rebecca Rootwelt Winther , Nina Aass , Stein Kaasa","doi":"10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101181","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>A major concern in anticancer treatment (ACT) of brain metastases (BM) is exposing patients with short expected survival to treatments that negatively impact on quality of life (QoL). Such futile ACT at the end of life is time-consuming and burdensome for patients and their families and entails unnecessary healthcare costs. Refraining from ACT is challenging for both physicians and patients. This study aimed to provide real-life data on survival after BM diagnosis and patient reported outcomes (PROs) after ACT to identify risk factors for futile treatment and to support BM treatment decisions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This multi-center, prospective, observational study recruited consecutive patients with first-time BM from November 2017 to March 2021. Patients were followed until death or study end (October 1st, 2023). Clinical factors associated with survival were analyzed by the Cox’ proportional hazards model. Changes in PROs after BM treatment were described according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, survival, and treatment groups.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>For the total cohort (<em>N</em> = 912), median overall survival (mOS) after BM diagnosis was 5.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.2–6.7). ECOG 2–4, uncontrolled extracranial metastases, and ≥5 BM were associated with short survival. In patients treated with radiotherapy, survival for patients with ECOG 2 and those with ECOG 3–4 was similar and particularly short for the whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) group (ECOG 2: 2.9 months [95% CI 2.3–3.5]; ECOG 3–4: 2.1 [1.5–2.7]). Patients surviving <6 months after BM diagnosis reported worse QoL scores two months after ACT; patients surviving >6 months reported stable scores over time.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>Patients with ECOG 2–4, especially those with uncontrolled extracranial metastases and ≥5 BM, are at risk for futile ACT. BM treatment guidelines should strongly caution against ACT to patients with expected survival <6 months and specifically advise against WBRT.</div></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><div>The <span>South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority</span>; The <span>Norwegian Cancer Society</span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":53223,"journal":{"name":"Lancet Regional Health-Europe","volume":"49 ","pages":"Article 101181"},"PeriodicalIF":13.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11728971/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Lancet Regional Health-Europe","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666776224003508","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
A major concern in anticancer treatment (ACT) of brain metastases (BM) is exposing patients with short expected survival to treatments that negatively impact on quality of life (QoL). Such futile ACT at the end of life is time-consuming and burdensome for patients and their families and entails unnecessary healthcare costs. Refraining from ACT is challenging for both physicians and patients. This study aimed to provide real-life data on survival after BM diagnosis and patient reported outcomes (PROs) after ACT to identify risk factors for futile treatment and to support BM treatment decisions.
Methods
This multi-center, prospective, observational study recruited consecutive patients with first-time BM from November 2017 to March 2021. Patients were followed until death or study end (October 1st, 2023). Clinical factors associated with survival were analyzed by the Cox’ proportional hazards model. Changes in PROs after BM treatment were described according to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, survival, and treatment groups.
Findings
For the total cohort (N = 912), median overall survival (mOS) after BM diagnosis was 5.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.2–6.7). ECOG 2–4, uncontrolled extracranial metastases, and ≥5 BM were associated with short survival. In patients treated with radiotherapy, survival for patients with ECOG 2 and those with ECOG 3–4 was similar and particularly short for the whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) group (ECOG 2: 2.9 months [95% CI 2.3–3.5]; ECOG 3–4: 2.1 [1.5–2.7]). Patients surviving <6 months after BM diagnosis reported worse QoL scores two months after ACT; patients surviving >6 months reported stable scores over time.
Interpretation
Patients with ECOG 2–4, especially those with uncontrolled extracranial metastases and ≥5 BM, are at risk for futile ACT. BM treatment guidelines should strongly caution against ACT to patients with expected survival <6 months and specifically advise against WBRT.
Funding
The South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority; The Norwegian Cancer Society.
期刊介绍:
The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, a gold open access journal, is part of The Lancet's global effort to promote healthcare quality and accessibility worldwide. It focuses on advancing clinical practice and health policy in the European region to enhance health outcomes. The journal publishes high-quality original research advocating changes in clinical practice and health policy. It also includes reviews, commentaries, and opinion pieces on regional health topics, such as infection and disease prevention, healthy aging, and reducing health disparities.