The effectiveness of the combined treatment of metastatic brain tumors

Abstract

Aim: Evaluation of effectiveness of radiation therapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) of metastatic brain tumors (MBT) in post-operational period.Materials and methods: 49 patients with MBT were observated: 4 (12,9%) cases — in frontal lobe, 2 (6,5%) — in temporal, 8 (25,8%) — in parietal, 4 (12,9%) — in occipital, 7 (22,6%) — in cerebellum hemisphere, 2 (6,5%) — in skull bones, by 1 (3,2%) — in ponto-cerebellar angle, hypophysis, brain tunic, frontal sinus.Results: Adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 35 (71,4%) cases, melanoblastoma — 13 (26,6%), sarcoma — 1 (2,0%). Primary source was revealed in 31 patients: in skin — 13 (41,9%), in lungs — 6 (19,4%), in breast and kidneys — 4 (12,9%) accordingly, by 1 (3,2%) case in thymus, ovary, uterus, external sexual organs. Operation was radical in 32 (65,3%) persons, subtotal — in 14 (28,6%), partial — in 2 (4,1%), in 1 — biopsy. In early period 1 (2,0%) patient died (thromboemboly of pulmonary artery), the rest 48 were distributed into groups which underwent: in 1st group only CT — 9 (18,8%) persons; in 2nd group only RT — 6 (12,5%); in 3rd group RT and CT — 3 (6,3%); the rest 30 (62,4%) did not undergo any special treatment. In one year survived: in 3rd group — 100%, in 1st and 2nd groups — 66,7%; in persons without treatment — 33,3%.Conclusion: In MBT combination of RT and CT is the best tactics of treatment. Further perspective is continuation of research with evaluation of patients health-related quality of life.