Quality of Life in Brain Metastasis Patients Treated with VMAT
Author Information
Author(s): Weber Damien C, Caparrotti Francesca, Laouiti Mohamed, Malek Karim
Primary Institution: Geneva University Hospital/University of Geneva
Hypothesis
Does volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with simultaneous in-field boost (SIB) improve quality of life and survival in patients with 1 to 4 brain metastases?
Conclusion
The delivery of 40 Gy in 10 fractions using VMAT was achieved with no significant toxicity, but quality of life was compromised 3 months after treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- 14 out of 29 patients died within 5.4 months of follow-up.
- 6-month overall survival was 55.1%.
- Quality of life decreased significantly after treatment.
Takeaway
Doctors used a special type of radiation therapy to treat patients with brain tumors, and while it didn't hurt them much, it made them feel worse after a few months.
Methodology
Patients received whole brain VMAT (30 Gy) and a SIB to the brain metastases (40 Gy) in 10 fractions, with quality of life assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30 and -BN20 questionnaires.
Potential Biases
High rates of questionnaire non-completion due to patient deterioration may introduce bias.
Limitations
The small sample size limited the statistical power to fully assess quality of life and detect associations with survival.
Participant Demographics
{"mean_age":62.1,"gender_distribution":{"male":16,"female":13},"performance_status":{"KPS":"≥ 70"}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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