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. 2019 Jul 31;19(1):755.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-5973-x.

Prognostic factors of brain metastases from colorectal cancer

Jun Imaizumi  1 , Dai Shida  2 , Yoshitaka Narita  3 , Yasuji Miyakita  3 , Taro Tanabe  1 , Atsuo Takashima  4 , Narikazu Boku  4 , Hiroshi Igaki  5 , Jun Itami  5 , Yukihide Kanemitsu  1
Affiliations

Prognostic factors of brain metastases from colorectal cancer

Jun Imaizumi et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: For brain metastases from non-specific primary tumors, the most frequently used and validated clinical prognostic assessment tool is Karnofsky performance status (KPS). Given the lack of prognostic factors of brain metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) other than KPS, this study aimed to identify new prognostic factors.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care cancer center. Subjects were patients with brain metastases from CRC among all patients who received initial treatment for CRC at the National Cancer Center Hospital from 1997 to 2015 (n = 7147). Prognostic clinicopathological variables for overall survival (OS) were investigated.

Results: There were 68 consecutive patients with brain metastases from CRC, corresponding to 1.0% of all patients with CRC during the study period. Median survival time was 6.8 months. One-year and 3-year OS rates were 28.0 and 10.1%, respectively. Among the six covariates tested (age, KPS, presence of extracranial metastases, control of primary lesion, number of brain metastases, and history of chemotherapy), multivariate analysis revealed KPS (score ≥ 70), number of brain metastases (1-3), and no history of chemotherapy to be independent factors associated with better prognosis.

Conclusions: In addition to KPS, the number of brain lesions and history of chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with brain metastases from CRC. An awareness of these factors may help gastrointestinal surgeons make appropriate choices in the treatment of these patients.

Keywords: Brain metastases; Colorectal cancer; Karnofsky performance status.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The study cohort. The final study population consisted of 68 patients with brain metastases who underwent initial treatment for colorectal cancer at the National Cancer Center Hospital from 1997 to 2015. The 68 patients account for 1.0% of all patients with colorectal cancer during the study period
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Overall survival curve of patients with brain metastases from colorectal cancer (n = 68). Median survival time was 6.8 months. One-year and 3-year overall survival rates were 28.0 and 10.1%, respectively
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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