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Frequency of brain metastases in non-small-cell lung cancer, and their association with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations

International Journal of Clinical Oncology volume 20, pages 674–679 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

The brain is a frequent site of metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We analyzed the frequency of brain metastases (BMs) from NSCLC in the era of magnetic resonance images, and evaluated the correlation between epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and BMs among East Asian patients.

Methods

Frequency, number, and size of BMs, and survival of 1,127 NSCLC patients were retrospectively reviewed. Mutation status of EGFR was evaluated in all cases, and its association with BMs was statistically evaluated.

Results

EGFR mutations were found for 331 cases (29.4 %). BM was the cause of primary symptoms for 52 patients (4.6 %), and found before initiation of treatment for 102 other patients (9.1 %); In addition to these 154 patients, 107 patients (9.5 %) developed BMs, giving a total of 261 patients (23.2 %) who developed BMs from 1,127 with NSCLC. BM frequency was higher among EGFR-mutated cases (31.4 %) than EGFR-wild cases (19.7 %; odds ratio: 1.86; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.39–2.49; P < 0.001). BMs from EGFR-mutated NSCLC were small, but often became disseminated. EGFR mutations accounted for 39.9 % of BMs, but patient survival after BMs was significantly longer for EGFR-mutated cases than for EGFR-wild cases (hazard ratio: 2.23; 95 % CI 1.62–3.10; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC were more likely to develop BMs, but apparently also survived longer after BMs.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurological Surgery, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba, 260-8717, Japan

    Toshihiko Iuchi, Koichiro Kawasaki, Yuzo Hasegawa & Tsukasa Sakaida

  2. Thoracic Disease, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba, Japan

    Masato Shingyoji, Meiji Itakura, Yasumitsu Moriya, Hajime Tamura, Yasushi Yoshida, Hironori Ashinuma & Toshihiko Iizasa

  3. Gene Diagnosis, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba, Japan

    Sana Yokoi

Authors
  1. Toshihiko Iuchi
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  2. Masato Shingyoji
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  3. Meiji Itakura
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  4. Sana Yokoi
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  5. Yasumitsu Moriya
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  6. Hajime Tamura
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  7. Yasushi Yoshida
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  8. Hironori Ashinuma
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  9. Koichiro Kawasaki
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  10. Yuzo Hasegawa
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  11. Tsukasa Sakaida
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  12. Toshihiko Iizasa
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Correspondence to Toshihiko Iuchi.

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Cite this article

Iuchi, T., Shingyoji, M., Itakura, M. et al. Frequency of brain metastases in non-small-cell lung cancer, and their association with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. Int J Clin Oncol 20, 674–679 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-014-0760-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-014-0760-9

Keywords

  • Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
  • Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
  • Brain metastasis
  • Epidemiology
  • Survival