New research suggests that Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (WBRT) is of little benefit to people whose lung cancer has spread to the brain, even though it is used widely for this indication. The new study was presented in September 2016 at the European Respiratory Society meeting in London.
The Quality of Life after Treatment for Brain Metastases (QUARTZ) study was recently published in The Lancet. The study aimed to establish whether WBRT could be omitted from treatment with dexamethasone (an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid) without a significant effect on survival or quality of life in the treatment of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The study suggests that WBRT provides little additional clinically significant benefit for this specific patient group. It is always important to discuss any and all benefits and drawbacks to any treatment with your cancer care team.
