Researchers Uncover Insights on Brain Metastasis Treatment

Recent research published in Open Life Sciences investigates the combination of immunotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy in treating patients with multiple brain metastases. Investigators from the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 57 patients diagnosed with brain metastases between 2021 and 2023. The study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and effects on cognitive function of immunotherapy combined with whole-brain radiotherapy and immunotherapy combined with whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost.

Key Takeaways:

• The study included 57 patients diagnosed with brain metastases, with 27 patients allocated to the whole-brain radiotherapy group and 30 patients allocated to the whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost group.
• The whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost group showed a higher complete response rate and objective response rate compared to the whole-brain radiotherapy group (26.7% vs 14.8%, 90.0% vs 66.7%, respectively).
• The study found that the sequential integrated boost did not prolong the overall survival time but may improve the remission rate of lesions.
• The study concluded that the boost would neither increase serious side effects nor exacerbate cognitive impairment caused by whole-brain radiotherapy.
• Yan Pengwei, Department of Radiation Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, was involved in the study as the corresponding author.
• Additional authors included Wang Changzhai, Tuoligan Duixian, Kabinuer Aji, Li Sheng, Song Xue, and Zhu Huanfeng.
• The study was published in Open Life Sciences, a journal published by De Gruyter.

Statistics:

• 57 patients were included in the study, with 27 patients in the whole-brain radiotherapy group and 30 patients in the whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost group.
• The whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost group showed a higher complete response rate (26.7% vs 14.8%).
• The whole-brain radiotherapy plus sequential integrated boost group also showed a higher objective response rate (90.0% vs 66.7%).

Sources:

• "Combination of immunotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy on prognosis of patients with multiple brain metastases: A retrospective cohort study." Open Life Sciences. DOI: 10.1515/biol-2025-1102 (2025).