In new research, a team led by University of Cincinnati researchers has identified a potential new way to make radiation more effective and improve outcomes for patients with lung cancer that has spread to the brain. The study, led by first author Debanjan Bhattacharya, PhD, was recently published in the journal Cancers . Research background According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, accounting for about one in five cancer deaths.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most prevalent type of lung cancer, making up approximately 80% to 85% of all lung cancer cases. Up to 40% of lung cancer patients develop brain metastases during the course of the disease, and these patients on average survive between eight and 10 months following diagnosis. Current standard of care treatments for lung cancer that spreads to the brain include surgical resection and stereotactic brain radiosurgery, and whole brain irradiation is standard in patients with more than 10 metastatic brain lesions.
Lung cancer brain metastasis is usually incurable, and whole brain radiation treatment is palliative, as radiation limits therapy due to toxicity. Managing potential side effects and overcoming resistance to radiation are major challenges when treating brain metastases from lung cancer. This highlights the importance of new treatments which are less toxic and can improve the efficacy of radiation therapy, are less expensive, and can i.