Is there a role for prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with NSCLC?
A recent phase III trial published in JCO describes the NVALT-11/DLCRG-02 study, evaluating PCI vs observation in patients with stage III NSCLC s/p concurrent/sequential chemoradiation. The study met its primary endpoint of significant increase in time to development of symptomatic brain mets in patients who received PCI, but did not show any improvement in OS.
1 Answer
Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · University of Colorado School of Medicine
Answered on
The question of PCI for stage III NSCLC has now been asked twice in the modern era. The abstracts of both of these studies are below. They both show that although PCI reduces the incidence of brain metastasis, it does not improve survival. And when there is the fatigue and neurotoxicity associated with PCI, it would take a significant improvement in survival for me to recommend/discuss PCI with NSCLC patients. It always seemed strange to me that these PCI studies of NSCLC got up and running at t...
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