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Review
. 2014 Sep 15:4:248.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2014.00248. eCollection 2014.

The management of brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer

Scott Owen  1 , Luis Souhami  2
Affiliations
Review

The management of brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer

Scott Owen et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Brain metastases (BM) are a common and lethal complication of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which portend a poor prognosis. In addition, their management implies several challenges including preservation of neurological and neurocognitive function during surgery or radiation-therapy, minimizing iatrogenic complications of supportive medications, and optimizing drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Despite these challenges, advancements in combined modality approaches can deliver hope of improved overall survival and quality of life for a subset of NSCLC patients with BM. Moreover, new drugs harnessing our greater understanding of tumor biology promise to build on this hope. In this mini-review, we revised the management of BM in NSCLC including advancements in neurosurgery, radiation therapy, as well as systemic and supportive therapy.

Keywords: brain metastases; chemotherapy; lung cancer; radiation therapy; stereotactic radiosurgery; surgery; targeted therapy.

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