Quality of life in patients with limited (1-3) brain metastases undergoing stereotactic or whole brain radiotherapy : A prospective study of the DEGRO QoL working group.

Purpose: Published results of quality of life (QoL) studies mostly concern whole brain radiotherapy for limited or multiple brain metastases. This prospective multicentre study was designed to compare the QoL of patients with limited (1-3) brain metastases treated with either whole brain (WBRT) or stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).

Methods: From 01/2007-03/2011, 90 limited brain metastases patients who were previously untreated (n = 77) or had undergone primary surgery (n = 13) were recruited at 14 centres in Germany and Austria.

Prospective evaluation of quality of life effects in patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy for brain metastases.

Background: Recently published results of quality of life (QoL) studies indicated different outcomes of palliative radiotherapy for brain metastases. This prospective multi-center QoL study of patients with brain metastases was designed to investigate which QoL domains improve or worsen after palliative radiotherapy and which might provide prognostic information.

Methods: From 01/2007-01/2009, n=151 patients with previously untreated brain metastases were recruited at 14 centers in Germany and Austria.