Multicenter phase 2 trial of stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with small cell lung cancer and 1-10 brain metastases

Stereotactic radiation (SRS/SRT) as opposed to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) represents the standard of care for patients with a limited number of brain metastases. However, in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), WBRT remains the standard because of concerns related to intracranial progression and neurologic death when WBRT is omitted. A multicenter phase 2 trial among patients with SCLC and 1-10 brain metastases, found a neurologic death rate at one year of 11.0% as compared with an historical rate of 17.5% in patients managed with WBRT. The authors conclude that these results supports the use of SRS/SRT among patients with SCLC and a limited number of brain metastases.