The analysis of the results of a focused radiation lowers the death of the brain in patients with SCLC

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The stereotactic radiation resulted in lower neurological mortality rates than historical WBRT in lung cancer with small cell with limited brain metastases.

A study published in July 2025 of the Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that despite the advantages of stereotactic radiation (SRS/SRT) when managing Limited Brain Metastases, full brain radiation (WBRT) remains the standard for lung cancer (SCLC) for small cells due to insufficient prospective evidence and concerns regarding intracranial progress.

The researchers evaluated the neurological mortality rates in people with SCLC and 1–10 brain metastases treated with SRS/SRT, with historical WBRT data used as an comparator.

You have inscribed people with SCLC or extra acacal small cell -primary and 1–10 brain metastases. Earlier brain radiation, including prophylactic brain radiation, was not permitted. The neurological death was defined as a progressive radiological brain progression with corresponding neurological symptoms in the absence of systemic progress or life -threatening systemic symptoms. The imaging-based brain monitoring was routinely carried out according to SRS/SRT.

The results showed that from February 2018 to April 2023, 100 people with a median of 2 brain metastases (IQR, 1–4; area, 1–10) were recorded. The median overall survival rate was 10.2 months. In 22% of the cases, a salvage of WBRT was required. There were 20 neurological deaths and 64 not neurological deaths. The 1-year-old neurological mortality rate was 11.0% (95% CI, 5.8 to 18.1), lower than the historical rate of 17.5%, which were reported to the people treated with WBRT.

The researchers came to the conclusion that SRS/SRT was associated with a reduced risk of neurological death in people with SCLC and limited brain metastases, which supports his role as an alternative to WBRT with close surveillance after treatment.

Source: ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/jco-25-00056