Managing Central Nervous System Spread of Lung Cancer: The State of the Art

J Clin Oncol. 2022 Feb 20;40(6):642-660. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01715. Epub 2022 Jan 5.

Abstract

Brain metastases (BrM) are common in both non-small-cell lung cancer and small-cell lung cancer. Substantial progress in BrM management has occurred in the past decade related to advances in both radiation and medical oncology. Recent and ongoing radiation trials have focused on increasing the candidacy for focal therapy of BrM with stereotactic radiosurgery; reducing the toxicity and improving patient selection for whole brain radiotherapy; and, in small-cell lung cancer, evaluating brain magnetic resonance imaging surveillance without prophylactic cranial irradiation, hippocampal avoidance in prophylactic cranial irradiation and whole brain radiotherapy, and the role of upfront stereotactic radiosurgery for BrM. In medical oncology, the development of multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitors with encouraging CNS activity and emerging data on the CNS activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in some patients have opened the door to novel systemic and multidisciplinary treatment strategies for the management of BrM. Future research will focus on more robust characterizations of the CNS activity of targeted therapy and immunotherapies, as well as optimal integration and patient selection for multidisciplinary strategies involving CNS-active drugs, radiation therapy, and CNS surveillance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / mortality
  • Brain Neoplasms / secondary
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / secondary
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Clinical Decision-Making
  • Cranial Irradiation* / adverse effects
  • Cranial Irradiation* / mortality
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Radiosurgery* / adverse effects
  • Radiosurgery* / mortality
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / mortality
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / secondary
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / therapy*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors