Objective
Survival scores can help physicians select appropriate treat
ment for patients with brain
metastasis. Pri
mary tu
mors have different biological behavior justifying separate scoring syste
ms for different tu
mors. In this study, a survival score was developed for patients with brain
metastasis fro
m SCLC.
Methods
Data of 172 patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy alone for brain metastasis from SCLC were included. Patients were assigned to a test (m>Nm> = 86) or a validation group (m>Nm> = 86). In the test group, Karnofsky Performance Score, number of brain metastases, and extracranial metastasis were associated with survival and included in the score. Scores for each factor were obtained from the 6-month survival rate divided by 10. According to the total scores, which represented the sum of the three scores, three prognostic groups were formed.
Results
6-Month survival rates in the test group were 3 % for 5-8 points, 40 % for 9-12 points, and 89 % for 15 points (m>pm> < 0.001). In the validation group, 6-month survival rates were 3 % , 41 % , and 89 % (m>pm> < 0.001). The comparisons between the three prognostic groups of the test group and the validation group did not show significant differences.
Conclusions
This new score appears valid and reproducible. It can be used to personalize the treatment to patients with brain metastasis from SCLC.