Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases and Limited Access to Systemic Therapy

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify prognostic factors associated with overall survival in patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (BM-NSCLC) who had limited access to systemic therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 83 patients with BM-NSCLC. Data collected included age, sex, performance status, histology, neurologic symptoms, extracranial metastasis (ECM), and receipt of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and systemic treatment. Associations between these factors and time to death were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The presence of ECM and the absence of systemic treatment were significantly associated with shorter survival in patients with BM-NSCLC.