Central nervous system metastases in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A review of the therapeutic landscape

Michael Weller*, Jordi Remon, Stefan Rieken, Philipp Vollmuth, Myung-Ju Ahn, Giuseppe Minniti, Emilie Le Rhun, Manfred Westphal, Priscilla K. Brastianos, Ross A. Soo, John P. Kirkpatrick, Sarah B. Goldberg, Katarina Ohrling, Fiona Hegi-Johnson, Lizza E. L. Hendriks

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal(Systematic) Review articlepeer-review

Abstract

Up to 40% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Current treatments for this subgroup of patients with advanced NSCLC include local therapies (surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, and, less frequently, whole-brain radiotherapy), targeted therapies for oncogene-addicted NSCLC (small molecules, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and antibody-drug conjugates), and immune checkpoint inhibitors (as monotherapy or combination therapy), with multiple new drugs in development. However, confirming the intracranial activity of these treatments has proven to be challenging, given that most lung cancer clinical trials exclude patients with untreated and/or progressing CNS metastases, or do not include prespecified CNS-related endpoints. Here we review progress in the treatment of patients with CNS metastases originating from NSCLC, examining local treatment options, systemic therapies, and multimodal therapeutic strategies. We also consider challenges regarding assessment of treatment response and provide thoughts around future directions for managing CNS disease in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Original languageEnglish
Article number102807
Number of pages21
JournalCancer Treatment Reviews
Volume130
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2024

Keywords

  • Non-small cell lung cancer
  • CNS metastases
  • Stereotactic radiosurgery
  • Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
  • Small molecules
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors
  • POSTOPERATIVE STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY
  • TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITORS
  • WHOLE-BRAIN RADIOTHERAPY
  • CLINICAL-PRACTICE GUIDELINES
  • NIVOLUMAB PLUS IPILIMUMAB
  • EGFR-MUTANT NSCLC
  • OPEN-LABEL
  • LEPTOMENINGEAL CARCINOMATOSIS
  • INTRACRANIAL EFFICACY
  • SURGICAL-MANAGEMENT

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